Shadows of the Yiga
by MissKatrinaLynne
Summary: Sequel to Shadows of Hyrule: Ten years later After the death of his father, Link found himself working nearly 16 hours a day and just barely getting by. He was single and had no social life, but all his friends had moved out of the city anyway, and he learned to find comfort in bottles of alcohol instead. Who knew life as the Chosen Hero could be so thrilling once the war was over.
1. Chapter 1

A tedious stack of papers dropped on his desk. Link turned his gaze over to them casually, then up to the woman that stood over him.

"Special delivery," Sera said cheerfully. "One stack of papers for a Mr. Hero." She winked playfully at him and casually blew her sidebang out of her face.

Link turned his gaze back to his computer. He tapped his pen against his desk. It was just another day for him. Five years at that office, and each day simply blended into the next. He understood why people had midlife crises. Doing the same thing day in and day out was mind numbingly tedious. But it was a job, and he needed the money if he wanted to live in a house another month.

"For someone who faked his entire resume, you do surprisingly well," she continued with a grin. "Can you get all this done by five like last week?"

Link shrugged lazily with one shoulder. "Sure."

She sat on the edge of his desk, still grinning. "How do you do it?"

"Well, you see," Link started, rolling back in his chair. He pressed his fingertips together. "It's all bullshit, Mr. Watson."

Sera laughed. "Sounds about right. I mean, who cares about expense reports, anyway? Certainly not this company."

"It takes years of practice to do what I do," Link said with a smug grin.

"At this rate, you'll be at the top of the corporate ladder."

"And all my dreams will come true," Link said dryly.

"I could get used to the perks," she said with a shrug. "Those company cars look nice."

Link scoffed. "Suits. Not my style."

"That's so Superman of you. Corporate slave by day, hero by night. Why isn't that on your resume?"

Link turned back to his computer. "Unfortunately, we're not exactly in an age of heroes. No one gives a shit."

"They ought to." She was quiet for a moment. She tapped a finger on the stack of paper she dropped on his desk. "This is no place for a hero."

"Well, hero work doesn't pay the bills."

"Hm. Touche." She stood. "Up for another drink tonight?"

Link turned his attention to his phone as it vibrated against the desk. He sighed when he recognized the number of the high school. "Doesn't look like I'll be able to," he said as he answered the phone. He turned his gaze to Sera as she walked away, waving over her shoulder.

"Link. I have Aryll in my office. Can you come by?"

"Again?" Link turned his gaze to the papers on his desk. They would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Yes," the principal said dryly.

"Sure," Link said. "Let me just take another personal day. I don't get tired of using those up."

"I'm in no mood for your attitude, Link."

Link sighed. "I'll be down in a bit." Without another word, he hung up the call. He got up abruptly, leaving his chair spinning in his wake, and passed Sera's desk as he made his way out. She looked up from her computer screen as he passed.

"Aryll causing trouble again?"

"Cover for me?"

She saluted him. "Aye, aye, Mr. Hero."

Link rolled his eyes at her before leaving the office. It wasn't the first time he had gotten a call from the school about Aryll, but it was the first year she had really started to act out. He didn't know shit about parenting, and as far as he knew, there was no how-to book on the subject. It may have been ten years ago, but he was sixteen once, too, and he never went through any sort of rebellious phase. Of course, he was a little preoccupied in his chosen destiny to stop Ganondorf and save Hyrule. So, it was very possible he missed out on the inductions into the rebellion club. He was convinced that such a thing existed, and it was all just a big plan to make his life even more miserable.

Regardless of why Aryll was acting out, she was, and Link had found himself at the high school on a more regular basis than he wanted to be. Fortunately, it was mostly for petty high school crimes. Aryll was found skipping class. Or skipping the day entirely. Or she was caught cheating on her test. A couple of times, she had apparently gotten into some fights, which left her suspended for the next couple of days. These were the worst, mainly because Link knew that being unsupervised at home would only allow her to get into more trouble. By the grace of Hylia, he had managed to sweet talk his way out of that with the principal, though he wasn't sure how long that would last if she kept up.

He was bending over backwards for his sister, and she didn't seem to give a damn. It apparently wasn't enough that he dropped out of college to be with her when his father was discharged. Or that he had taken over everything when he died, including the unfortunate role of being some sort of father figure in her life. The two jobs he was working just to keep a roof over her head? Well, who needed that? Surely not him. She was going to get kicked out of school at this rate and never graduate, so why did he bother sticking around in the city? There was nothing there for him, anyway, and there would be nothing for Aryll if she wasn't going to graduate high school.

So, really, who was it all for, then? What did any of it matter? How he wished he could go to the bar after picking up Aryll.

It would have felt odd to be back at the school if he hadn't been such a regular appearance there. Every time, he would find himself looking at the corner of the building from his car where his friends used to hang out before and after classes. Sometimes, he would wander the hallways before making his way to the office, looking out into the courtyard where they once gathered for lunch. On one of the picnic tables, Revali had lovingly carved "Link sux" into the wood. Ten years was a long time, but it seemed a lifetime ago. He hated everything about high school, but in those recent years, he wanted nothing more than to go back and attempt to make a better future for himself.

And there was Aryll, all too happy to throw it all away. Everything he had done for her.

Needless to say, Link was in a less than stellar mood when he entered the office. The secretary behind the desk did not look up as he entered, but offered him her usual, monotone greeting. "Hello again, Link."

"Did you miss me?" he said with a grin. The woman looked up slowly, meeting his gaze with a raised brow and otherwise emotionless face, and his grin quickly disappeared.

"He's expecting you," she said with a sigh, pulling her gaze away and back onto her computer screen.

"Right," Link said. "Of course he is." He walked around the desk and into the office without knocking, taking the seat in front of the desk. He stretched his legs out in front of him, settling in to hear of Aryll's latest adventures.

The principal smiled to Link as he sat in the empty seat in front of the desk, but Link did not return the greeting. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for him to speak.

"Nice to see you, Link."

"Wish I could say the same."

"Aryll told me not to call. She said you were busy at work."

"Well, if she cares so much, maybe she'll stop causing trouble."

"She's a good kid. She gets good grades."

"So, what is it this time?"

He folded his hands on his desk. "She knocked a kid out cold."

Link grinned. "Nice."

The principal narrowed his gaze. "Do you really think that's appropriate?"

Link shrugged. "Depends. Did he deserve it?"

He sighed and pressed his fingers against his temple.

"He must have done something to piss her off," Link continued. "What was it?"

He looked down at the papers on his desk and scooped them up. He flipped through them until he found what he was looking for. "Apparently there was a disagreement between them." He adjusted the glasses on his nose as he read the report. "'He said that the legends of Hylia were nothing but bullshit and scare tactics that the government uses and if Ganondorf was ever a real threat, he would have been eliminated. I told the stupid bastard that if he paid attention to the world at all, he'd know that Ganondorf cannot simply be killed as long as he holds a piece of the Triforce, and the fucking prick said that the Triforce was made up by the royal family to keep themselves in control of Hyrule. He said Zelda and Link were frauds.'" He stopped and looked over his glasses, meeting Link's gaze.

"That's a good one," he said. "I haven't heard that one yet."

The principal placed the papers back on his desk and removed his glasses. "It seems Aryll has quite a temper."

"Guess the kid shouldn't be talking shit. Sounds like he got what he deserved." He smiled smugly. "Next time -" He snapped his mouth shut, thinking better of what he was going to say. Aryll could get away with throwing punches, but he was sure he couldn't make such threats lightly.

The principal raised a brow. "Next time?"

"Next time maybe he'll show a little respect."

He leaned back in his large, leather chair, turning slightly from side to side in a rocking motion. "Is everything okay at home?"

Link groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. "Don't give me this shit."

"I know things haven't been easy for the two of you these last few years, but you are responsible for her and her actions."

"She's sixteen years old," Link said. "And I'm not her father. I don't control her. She's old enough to know right and wrong and make her own decisions."

"She needs guidance, Link."

"Guidance with what?" Link snapped. "She's standing up for herself. I'm sorry if my little sister has a better punch than that asshole conspiracy theorist. Maybe he should grow a pair."

He sighed and rubbed at his temple. "I've given her quite a few chances already," he warned him. "I can't keep doing this. You need to do something about it. You need to talk to her."

Link got to his feet. "Are we done, or are you going to keep lecturing me about how to raise a teenage girl?"

"I just want what's best for both of you. I don't want to see Aryll go down the wrong path. She has a lot of potential. You should be grateful she doesn't have the same work ethic you did in school."

Link shrugged. "Just busy saving the world."

"Mhm." He turned his gaze away from Link and onto his computer screen. "If it keeps up, I will have to suspend her. Please don't let it come down to that."

Link said nothing further. He made his way out of the office, closing the door behind him. In the main office, Aryll was sitting in one of the chairs against the wall, her hands behind her head. She stood when Link came out and without a word to her brother, she left the main office and made her way outside. There was still an hour left of school, but Link was too tired to fight with her. He nodded to the woman behind the desk as he walked after Aryll.

"See you next week, Link," she said disinterestedly.

Outside the school, Link jogged after Aryll as she made her way toward the car. "What the hell was that about?" he said when he reached her side.

"What was what about?" Aryll kept walking, not meeting his gaze.

"You can't go around punching people."

Aryll rolled her eyes. "I told him not to call you."

"Who else is he going to call?" Link sneered.

Aryll stopped short and faced him. "Right, because I have no one else. No fucking family."

Link's expression softened. "You have me."

"Do I? You're never around!"

"I'm working two fucking jobs for you. What more do you want from me?"

Aryll stormed away from him, away from the car, and towards the road.

"Where are you going?" Link shouted after her.

"Home!"

"Get in the car!"

"No!"

Fuming, Link got into the vehicle. He pulled out of the lot and followed Aryll onto the road. He rolled down the window as he slowed to her pace. "Get in!"

Aryll crossed her arms. "No."

"Get in the fucking car, Aryll!"

Aryll stopped walking and glared at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Instead, she yanked the door open, slid into the seat, and slammed it closed. She folded her arms over her chest and turned to look out the window, ignoring her brother.

"What the fuck has gotten into you?" Link hissed as he pulled out into traffic.

Aryll shrugged with one shoulder and kept her gaze out the window. "I'm going through my rebellious phase," she said. "I'll probably dye my hair black or something. Get a lip ring." She grinned to herself. "Fuck it. I'll go all out and get my nipples pierced."

"You're not funny," Link muttered.

"I'm actually hilarious," she said. "But you have no sense of humor anymore, so you wouldn't know."

"You're going to get expelled," Link warned her.

"So what?" She glanced over to her brother. "What are you going to do about it? Ground me?" She rolled her eyes and turned her gaze back out the window.

"Sure," he mumbled. "That's what people do, right?"

"That's what parents do," she said. "And we're sad little orphans."

Link's brows furrowed, but he didn't respond to her.

Aryll took it upon herself to put an end to the silence that fell between them. "So, since you're not my father, you don't have that power."

"No," Link said slowly. "But I'm the adult. The only adult you've got. So that power transfers to me."

Aryll shifted in her seat. "Right," she muttered. "Let me know when you decide to act like an adult."

Link stopped at a light, slamming harder on the breaks than he needed to. "When you stop acting like a bratty little twat, then we can talk," he hissed at her.

"Fuck you," she sneered at him.

"Get out and walk home."

"No," she said sternly. "And you can't make me."

"Wanna bet?"

"Fine," she said. "Be a terrible guardian and they'll take me away and stick me in an orphanage and we'll never have to see each other again."

"Stop being so dramatic," he said. "You won't go to an orphanage. Even they wouldn't want you. You'll just be a homeless little troll under a bridge."

"You're a fucking dick!"

The light had turned green, but Link hadn't moved. The cars behind them started to honk in annoyance.

"Yup, that's me," he said. "The biggest asshole this world has ever seen." He flipped a motorist the bird as he finally moved through the intersection.

"Being a hero doesn't mean you get to act like a dick to everyone."

"Thanks for letting me know," he said. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. "I guess I misunderstood what being a dick was. Apparently giving up everything for you makes me a terrible person."

"Right, go head," Aryll said, rolling her eyes. "Play the fucking victim card again."

"I can't win with you, can I?" he barked at her. "Nothing I do is good enough!" They stopped at another light and Link turned to his sister. "What do you want from me, Ary? What the fuck do you want?"

Aryll stared at her brother, her face whitening. When the cars began to honk behind them once more, she pulled her gaze away and slunk into her seat. She pulled her knees to her chest and held her breath in an attempt to steady herself, but the tears rolled down her face, anyway. They didn't speak again until they pulled into the driveway and Link cut the engine. Neither of them moved to get out.

"Can you just talk to me?" Link said softly. "Tell me what you need. Tell me what I can do."

Aryll glanced over at her brother, but he was staring out the windshield at nothing in particular. She pulled her gaze away and bit her lip to keep her sobs at bay.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, though her voice broke. "I'm sorry I'm just a burden to you." And with that, she opened the door, stumbled out, and slammed the car door behind her.

Link watched as she ran into the house. He punched the steering wheel angrily, and the car honked in response.


	2. Chapter 2

Link and Aryll didn't speak for the rest of the night. Aryll didn't come out of her room for a moment, and Link didn't bother try to talk to her further. Instead, he fell against the couch where he stayed for the entire night, staring blankly at the tv in an attempt to lose himself in whatever was on. He passed out shortly after finishing off a twelve-pack by himself, and only woke up when he heard what he thought to be a door slamming. It startled him, and he nearly fell off the couch. After a quick check through the house, he determined that Aryll was not there. Whether she had actually gone to school was a different story entirely. He supposed he should have attempted to text her, but instead, he trudged into the bathroom to shower off the stench of alcohol.

Despite the amount of alcohol he consumed, his hangover was relatively manageable, though his mood still sour. It made concentrating on his work difficult as his mind wandered to Aryll. He knew he couldn't necessarily blame her for the way she had been acting. It didn't take a genius to see her struggles, to know she was depressed. Who could blame her? Her parents were dead. Her brother - and only living family member left - wasn't around, and when he was, he was moody, drunk, and just downright intolerable. He knew he was partly to blame for her downward spiral. He could barely keep a handle on his own life, so of course it would seem that Aryll was just another problem he needed to deal with.

The truth was, however, Aryll was all that was keeping him together. In a life where it seemed that everyone left him, she was the one who remained. She was the only constant in his life. And dammit, he wanted her to have the best life she could. It may not have looked it to her, but he was trying. Didn't that count for something? Perhaps it was selfish of him, but he just wanted her to be able to see that.

He was so lost in thought that he hadn't even heard Sera approach his desk. He jumped at her greeting, and Sera grinned down at him. She sat against his desk, her arms crossed. "How did your field trip go yesterday?"

Link didn't look up. He continued to scribble numbers across the paper on his desk, occasionally tapping on a nearby calculator with the end of his pen. He never would have imagined himself actually having a job that would require math. But at the same time, he wasn't exactly finding the angle of a triangle, either. And, fortunately for him, the calculator was a wonderful tool high school conveniently tried to hide from him. "Great," he said dryly. "I even got to bring home a souvenir."

Sera smirked. "Oh yeah? Anything cool?"

"So cool," he muttered. "A nice fancy note saying Aryll's gonna get suspended if she doesn't get her shit together."

Sera frowned. "Yikes. What the hell did she do this time?"

Link sighed and dropped his pen. He leaned back in his chair and let it roll backwards. "Gave some tool bag kid a black eye."

"Nice," Sera said with a grin. "Tough girl. I'm sure he deserved it."

Link shrugged. "I tried to tell her violence isn't the answer."

Sera laughed loudly. "Isn't that ironic?" She stood then, saying "Oh" as if she remembered why she had come to Link in the first place. "We've got a new guy who is just dying to meet you." She gave him a wink before calling over her shoulder. "Wally, get over here."

Within a moment, a kid probably only a couple years younger than Link appeared from around the corner. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger as he regarded Sera. "I told you not to call me that."

Sera shrugged. "Isn't it your name?"

"No," he huffed. He turned his gaze to Link, then grinned. "My name's Walt."

"K," Link said simply.

"I'm a huge fan," Walt said excitedly.

"Fan?"

"Well, yeah, obviously."

Link's brows knit together. "Why?"

Walt blinked at Link for a moment. "Uh, because you're a total super hero?" He turned his gaze to Sera.

Sera grinned at Walt. "Never meet your heroes, kid."

Link turned back to the papers on his desk, ignoring them.

"What's a guy like you doing in a place like this, anyway?" Walt said.

Link let his chin rest in his palm as he stared at his computer screen. "Hero work doesn't pay the bills."

Walt nodded as if he understood such a predicament. "For the record, it totally should."

"No shit," Link muttered. "It's not enough that I almost died for this damn country."

"Can I get your autograph?"

Link looked up at Walt, then to Sera, clearly annoyed. "Is he for real?"

Sera shrugged. "I told you he was a fan. I bet he stalked you here."

"No, I swear!" Walt said defensively. "I mean, I knew you lived somewhere in the city. I just moved here a few weeks back. But I swear, I didn't stalk you." His shoulders dropped slightly in an attempt to seem more relaxed. "It's cool, man. I'm cool."

Link's brows raised and he turned his gaze back to his computer. "Yeah," he said. "Cool."

"Cool," Walt said, waving his hand at Link, as if to dismiss his earlier uncool behavior. "You can get to that autograph whenever. No rush."

Sera shoved Walt's shoulders, pushing him around the corner. "Bye, Walt!" She smiled after him as he hurried back to his desk, then turned to Link. "You have such a way with your fans."

Link scoffed, keeping his eyes on the screen.

"So, you down for that drink this time? Sounds like you could use one."

"Story of my life," he muttered. He stretched his legs out under his desk and nodded. "Yeah. Alcohol. Definitely."

Sera was waiting for him outside of the building. It was just after five when he trotted down the steps and walked briskly passed her. She grinned as he walked by, then moved to catch up to him, adjusting her bag on her shoulder.

"In a hurry?"

"Yes," Link said simply. "Every minute I'm not drinking is another minute I'm not drinking."

Sera laughed. "Well, sure, that's one way to put it."

"I think it's the only way to put it," Link said.

Sera frowned slightly and glanced at him. Though he seemed relatively content, she knew he masked his problems well. She pulled her gaze away and sighed lightly. "That new guy is weird, right?"

Link's gaze moved to her, well aware that she was quietly judging him. "Sure," he said. He turned his gaze away and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. "What a nerd." Truth be told, something about him did make Link uncomfortable, but he didn't dwell on it.

"If he's a nerd for being your biggest fan, what does that make you?" Sera teased, elbowing him.

"A sucker."

"Gee, you're extra pleasant today," she said.

Link sighed. "I'm tired."

"Maybe you should skip the beer tonight," Sera offered with a shrug.

Link shook his head. "Nope. Definitely need the beer."

"Don't you think you should get home and babysit Aryll?"

Link scoffed. "She's avoiding me."

Sera frowned. "Now what did you do?"

"Why is it always my fault?"

"It's not," Sera said. "But I also know that you like to feed the fire." She shrugged. "You lectured, she argued, you fought back, and now she won't say boo."

"There you have it," he muttered.

"You know -" Sera started.

"Yeah, I do know," Link snapped at her. "I know. And that's why I drink."

Sera sighed. They stopped in front of the bar, and Sera held the door open for him. "Ladies first."

"What does that make you?" Link said with a grin as he walked through.

The bar was dimly lit, just how Kit liked it. "I'd rather not see the faces of the pathetic sacks that come in here," he used to say to Link. "I'm actually very uncomfortable seeing yours so much. It's like we're friends now or something."

Link had frequented Kit's bar over the last five years. Sometimes with Sera. Other times, even with Zelda. But mostly, he was alone. But Kit was always there, and his presence was something Link had grown oddly accustomed to, even fond of, even though they sometimes went a whole night without even speaking. If the situation had been any different, it was likely Link never would have associated with Kit, never mind called him a friend. But now, it seemed Kit was the only friend he had left. It definitely helped that he provided Link with all the alcohol he wanted.

Kit was behind the bar when they entered. He didn't look up at first, but Link and Sera took their usual seat. Kit seemed occupied tending to a larger group of men on the other side of the bar, but he found a chance to wordlessly slide over their usual orders, throwing his middle finger up at Link over his shoulder as he moved away.

Sera made a sound of disgust. "Lonely, single girl's night checkin' you out."

Link craned his neck to look around Sera in the direction of her gaze. There were five woman in a booth still dressed in their business skirts giggling and glancing in their direction. Link shrugged and disregarded them.

Sera, however, kept her gaze on them, studying them. Her head tilted to the side slightly. "I'd do the one in the middle." She nodded to herself. "You can have one of the others."

Link snorted. "No thanks."

Sera shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said. "More for me."

"Good luck with that."

"I get laid more than you do," Sera said.

Link considered this for a moment, then nodded regretfully.

The group Kit was tending to made their way out of the bar, and the bartender mosied his way over to them, bringing with him two more drinks. He frowned when he saw they hadn't finished their first.

"You're slowing down," he said, pushing the bottles over to them. "Come on, let's go. I gotta make my money off of you."

"I think you should send one of those girls a drink from us," Sera said. "All of 'em. I wanna get lucky."

Kit grinned. "If you get him drunk enough," Kit said, gesturing with his chin toward Link, "he'll go home with the cactus in the bathroom."

"Why is there a cactus in the bathroom?" Sera inquired.

"That's a good question," Kit said. "I blacked out that night. But I'm convinced Link has something to do with it. He waters it every now and then."

"I guess you must really save on plumbing," Sera said.

"Kit shoves it up his ass," Link said.

Kit's face twisted in disgust. "I know I'm a lonely guy, but I'm not that lonely."

"Debatable," Link said.

"Well, we don't all have the good looks and charm of a hero," Kit said.

"Where are these good looks and charm that you speak of?" Sera asked.

Kit shook his head. "It only comes out when he's drunk and horny. I don't know how he does it, but he takes a chick home every week."

"Do not," Link sneered.

"Oh, right," Kit said. "You fuck 'em and run back here to drink some more."

Sera frowned. "That's classy, man," she said disapprovingly.

Link rolled his eyes. "He's exaggerating. Why do you listen to him?"

Sera turned her gaze to Kit who shook his head.

"Anyway," Sera said as she finished off her beer. "I'm glad you decided to come out drinking with me tonight."

"Why?" Kit absentmindedly dried off a glass behind the counter. "He's not good company."

Sera grinned at the bartender and tapped against the counter. "Hit me."

Kit rolled his eyes. He set the glass down, draped the rag over his shoulder, and moved to the other end to grab her another bottle.

"In a glass with an orange slice!" Sera called to him, leaning over the counter. "Do it right, Bartender!"

Kit flashed her his middle finger over his shoulder. When he returned, he slid the bottle across the counter at her, an orange slice jammed into the opening.

Sera grinned up at Kit, then worked to remove the orange slice. "Why don't you get together with Mipha next time she comes home?"

"Is she still doing that doctor thing?" Kit grinned. "I'd let her do surgery on me."

"Can it," Sera hissed. "What kinda sick shit you into?"

Kit shrugged. "She's hot. I'll be into whatever she wants." He leaned toward Link. "Give me her number already."

Link finished his beer and shoved it into Kit's chest. "Piss off."

Kit grinned, happy to be getting under his skin. He tossed the bottle, then retrieved another and slid it across to Link. "That one's on me, you cheap bastard."

"Giving away products?" Sera said. "How do you possibly stay in business?"

"You should see this guy's tab," Kit said. He turned to Link and grinned. "Your alcoholism supports my small business. Thank you, Sir."

"Glad I can be of service," Link said, unamused.

Sera frowned, but did not add in her usual two cents as the two men continued to chat.

"Where have you been, anyway?" Kit continued. "It's been a couple weeks since you've been in here."

"Been busy," Link said with a shrug. "And its cheaper to drink at home."

"Touche." Kit pulled the rag off his shoulder and wiped aimlessly at the counter, removing a wet ring from Sera's bottle.

Sera finished her drink, then dropped her payment on the counter. "Don't let him get too drunk, Kit."

"You're such a buzzkill," Kit said to her. He slid her money across the bar and counted it. "Where's my tip?"

Sera rolled her eyes and fished through her pockets. She dropped some change into his palm. "You didn't give me my ora-"

"You got your orange!" Kit hissed at her. His fingers closed over her money and he slid his hand into his pocket. He smiled at Sera. "I'll take care of ya boy."

Sera patted Link's head. "That's my work husband. You better. See you boys later."

Kit watched as she moved across the bar, pausing to chat with the women in the booth. They laughed and flirted, and a note was passed between them. Sera waved over her shoulder to them before leaving.

"Does that come with benefits?" Kit said with a grin to Link.

"No," Link said simply. "She's like, forty."

"I'd hit that," Kit said. He leaned with his back against the bar, just to the side of Link. He watched the game play out on the tv above his head.

"You'd hit anything that moved."

"It's a lonely life, being a bartender," Kit said. "All day long, I listen to people talk about their lives, but no one ever wants to hear about mine."

Link rolled his eyes. "How's life, Kit?"

Kit turned around enthusiastically. "Well, Link, that's right kind of ya to ask." He paused for a moment, looking up thoughtfully. "Shit. My life sucks," he said with sudden realization. "All I do is work. And I don't even make enough money to pay someone to have sex with me." He frowned and leaned back against the bar.

"Poor Kit," Link said. "Can't get anyone to touch his dick."

"I could," he hissed. "I just... don't have time to play the dating game." He regarded Link over his shoulder. "If you know any single gals..."

Link shook his head. "They're all out of your league."

"I could get them. What about Urbosa?"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?"

Kit craned his neck to do just that, regarding his appearance in the mirror on the wall. He ran his fingers through his scraggly hair and blew the stray strands out of his eyes. His hair was an odd shade of brown, almost appearing grey and dirty. His skin was pale. "So I look like a vampire. I thought chicks were into that sorta thing."

"When was the last time you even saw the light of day, man?"

"That is definitely not in the bartender's job description. Day drinkers are my forte. They keep me in business."

"You open at ten."

"And you won't believe the line I've got at the door. It used to be eleven." Kit sighed. "Ten a.m. to two a.m., every day. Doesn't give me much time for a life. Unless, you know, I pick up a hooker on the way home."

"Classy," Link muttered.

"Hashtag single forever," Kit said with a sigh. "That's what people say, right?"

"No."

"You're a good friend, Link," he said with a grin.

"Anything for you, Kit."

"The next one's not free, though."

"Hit me."

Kit pushed himself off the counter, moving across to grab Link another drink. He set it on the bar, trading for the empty bottle which he tossed into the bin. "Saves me some dishes, at least." He turned back to Link. "Sera would have me cut you off after that."

"Sera's not here."

Kit nodded thoughtfully. "What about Aryll?"

"What about her?"

"You just gonna leave her alone all night?"

"She's sixteen. She's capable of taking care of herself."

"You'd make a great father someday."

"I hope not."

Kit smiled, but it was a sad sort of smile. Link met his gaze, then rolled his eyes.

"Stop it," he hissed.

"I didn't say anything," Kit said, raising his hands.

"You're giving me that look."

"What look?"

"That therapist look. It's condescending."

"Well, you're just such a sad, pathetic sack."

"At least I get laid."

Kit snorted. "When was the last time that happened?" He left Link to mutter to himself, moving to the other end of the bar to tend to another patron. After a few minutes, Kit returned, his palms against the counter. He leaned against his arms slightly.

"We're friends, right?"

"I wish we weren't," Link muttered.

"And as a friend," Kit continued, ignoring him. "It is my duty to talk some sense into you."

"You're not my friend until after two," Link said. "For now, you're the bartender."

Kit sighed. He waited for Link to finish his beer, then took the empty bottle from him. When he returned, he only had a glass of water, which he slid across to Link.

Link scrunched his nose at the glass. "The fuck is this?"

"I can't in good conscious continue to support your alcoholism."

"I'm not an alcoholic," Link growled.

"Link, I met you five years ago when your stupid ass stumbled into this very bar with your stupid ass friends not an hour after your father's funeral and you haven't left since."

"I only come for your entertainment," Link said.

"And I only let you come to extort you. I've made quite a name for myself here, you know. This is the bar the great Hero of Hyrule drinks his life away at. It's practically a tourist spot."

"Some damn kid at work asked for my autograph."

Kit snorted. "Why the hell would anyone want your damn autograph?"

"He looks up to me."

"You know who I look up to? Movie stars. Those guys get all the tail they want. You? You come with nothing but problems. PTSD, alcoholism, depression. Who wants that guy's autograph?"

"He sounds like a train wreck," Link muttered.

"I'm hoping it will be explosive."

"Hmph."

"Nah," Kit said. "In all seriousness. I'm sick of seeing your ugly mug in my bar. Go drink cheap beer at home. At least be with Aryll. Get some damn help or something."

"I don't need help," Link grunted.

"Denial." Kit frowned. "No one expects you to have it all together."

"Aryll does."

"Aryll would understand."

Link's brows furrowed. He looked up at Kit. "How could she? She has no one left. I'm all she's got."

"Then isn't that worth, I dunno, sticking around?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Link muttered.

"Maybe," Kit said. "But as a bartender, I'm kind of a self proclaimed expert in alcoholism and depression."

"I'm not depressed," Link hissed.

Kit raised his hands in the air defensively. "Whatever you say, tough guy." He left Link alone to mutter into his drink, tending to more patrons.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a couple hours before the bar started to empty out, and despite what he had said earlier, Kit reluctantly agreed to serve Link two more bottles. It was close to midnight when the last of his customer's had gone, leaving Kit and Link the only two left in the building. Kit stretched his arms over his head, opting to close up early by simply locking the door and flipping the sign in the window. He then poured himself a couple of shots and took them one after the other before helping himself to two more.

Link raised a brow at him. "Really?"

"I've got some catching up to do," Kit said between shots.

Link grinned. "You've been drinking all night."

Kit shrugged. It was true that he had been helping himself to the occasional beer or shot between serving patrons. He and Link even toasted to some nonsense he couldn't remember earlier in the evening. He finished another two shots, then worked at clearing the glasses along with Link's empties. He wiped the bar down quickly with very little effort, then joined Link on the other side of the counter, taking up the empty barstool next to him. He pulled out a tin that Link was all too familiar with, along with a lighter, and he offered one of the joints to Link.

Link rolled it between his fingers in between inhalations, watching it burn. They smoked quietly for a moment before Kit finally spoke.

"When are you gonna sack up and talk to Mipha? Get back together with her already."

Link said nothing. He brought the joint to his mouth and inhaled. A single light lit the bar leaving them otherwise sitting in the dark. It felt better to be there in the dark than at home where the darkness only made him feel claustrophobic.

"Or are you still on board the Zelda train?" Kit continued.

"There's no Zelda train," Link said simply.

Kit grinned. "That's not what I've seen on tv."

"Do you really believe everything you see on tv?"

Kit nodded. "When the reporters say ZeLink is a thing, I do."

Link raised a brow and inspected his joint. "ZeLink?"

"Your celebrity couple name," Kit said. He inhaled deeply, then added, "Obviously."

Link snorted. "That's not a thing."

"Don't lie," Kit said. "You're totally banging."

Link took another hit and stood. Without another word, he left the bar, leaving Kit to scramble to catch up to him. He waited outside in the cool night until Kit caught up, stumbling and swaying for a moment.

"Fuckin' shit," he muttered under his breath as he caught his balance. He brought the joint to his lips, inhaled, then sighed dramatically. "The night is ours," he said with a grin. "What kinda trouble should we get into?"

"Zelda yelled at me last time," Link said.

Kit laughed. "Hey, you're not a thing, what does she care?"

"She can't be associated with my antics," Link said with a smirk. "Makes her look bad."

"Well, not for nothing," Kit started, pausing for another hit. "Your presence can make anyone look bad."

"That's what I aim for."

"I still think you should make up with Mipha," he said. "She was the one thing you got right."

"She doesn't need to be dragged down into my shit," Link muttered. He took another hit, speaking again as he blew out smoke. "She's better off."

"I disagree," Kit said frankly. "The way I see it, you're just a stupid ass who pushes everyone away."

"No, I'm just a stupid ass that everyone leaves."

"Are you gonna cry about it?"

Link snorted. "No. I drink."

"Poor Link has no friends," Kit mocked.

"Look who's talking."

Kit nodded. "No shit, huh?" He paused for a hit. "Guess that makes us a pretty good team."

"I prefer to run solo."

"You do a lot of things solo," Kit said with a grin. His face turned serious as he spoke again. "It's been like, five years. I don't think either of you are better off."

"Well," Link started, "I'm not about to start taking relationship advice from you."

"You should," Kit said. "Because whether you believe it or not, you would have been better off." He paused for a long inhale. "You're not the hero anymore. You don't have to do what you think is best for everyone else."

Link took one last hit, inhaling deeply. He blew the smoke out with a sigh. "You're a wise man."

"I know you're being an ass, but it's about time you recognize and heed my wisdom." Kit stretched his arms over him, working out the kinks as his body cracked and he groaned. He muttered about getting old as they made their way through the city.

"I haven't heard any Aryll stories lately," Kit said thoughtfully. "Anything new and exciting?"

"She's gonna get expelled if she doesn't get her shit together," Link muttered.

Kit frowned. "What did she do this time?"

Link shrugged. "Punched some kid."

"Why?"

Link sighed. "Conspiracy theories."

Kit grinned. "Oh, I love hearing those," he said. "I'm still convinced that Yiga Clan is up to something."

Link shook his head. "Zelda was pretty adamant about that."

"Well, maybe she should get her head out of her ass."

He shrugged. "It's been ten years. Don't you think if they were an issue, they would have been, you know, more relevant by now?"

"They're waiting for something," Kit said. "Plotting."

"Right," Link said. "Nothing I can do about it, anyway. I don't exactly stand a chance against an army of rogue Sheikah."

"Too bad," Kit said. "You could use a good comeback."

Link smiled. "Yeah. You're right."

"So, since we're on the topic of crashing on your couch," Kit started.

"We weren't."

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it. Pretty sure my landlord is going to kick me out. He hates me." He shrugged. "I know Aryll hates me, too. But I don't owe her money, at least."

"She hates me, too."

Kit frowned. "I don't believe that for a second."

"Well, she's pissed at me. Hasn't said a word to me."

"I'm sure you put in the effort," Kit said, and Link shrugged.

It wasn't long before they got to the house. It was completely dark, and Link wondered if Aryll was asleep, or if she had taken advantage of his absence and snuck out for the night. He decided he should at least own up to his responsibility as her guardian and check in on her. He knocked softly on her bedroom door, and when no answer came, he poked his head inside. If she had attempted to fake her own sleeping body with pillows, the blonde hair poking out was a nicely added detail, but Link felt confident that it was indeed her, sleeping soundly, and he wasn't about to wake her.

What he didn't realize, however, was that Aryll was awake. Though she comforted herself in her nest of blankets, she hadn't found a moment of sleep. She called her brother's name softly, but he apparently had not heard her as the door closed again.

"Is she out terrorizing the city?" Kit asked when Link returned.

He dropped onto the couch beside Kit and took the beer Kit handed him. "Don't think so," he said.

"You don't think so," Kit said, then shrugged. "You have such a natural, fatherly instinct."

Link snorted. "I learned from the best."

Kit frowned. "Are you suggesting your father was terrible at the parenting thing?"

"A bit unorthodox."

Kit shook his head. "I don't think so."

"You didn't know him," Link pointed out.

"Maybe not," he said. "But I can't imagine he was that bad."

Link shrugged. "Guess not." He paused. "He did let me play with a ten thousand year old sword."

Kit grinned. "Every sixteen year old's dream." He flipped through the channels on the tv, settling on some late night talk show. They continued to chat casually with one another. When the late night commercials came on, they teased one another about dialing the 900-lines. At some point during the night, they both finally passed out where they sat, not stirring until morning when Aryll slammed two pans together above them. They jumped violently, then groaned loudly as Aryll let the pans drop noisily onto the counter.

"I'm going to school, idiot," she called over her shoulder.

Kit waved a hand over the couch. "Bye, Sweetie."

"Get the fuck out, Kit," she shouted before slamming the door behind her.

With another groan, Kit rolled over, falling off the couch and onto the floor. He lay with his face down on the floor for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh.

"What time is it?" he muttered.

Link's hand felt for his phone on the end table. He clicked it on and squinted his eyes. "Seven."

Kit sighed again. "Three more hours before I gotta get to the bar." He slowly pushed himself to his feet, wavered for a moment, then moved across the living room. "I gotta take a leak."

Link let his arm rest across his forehead. His head was pounding, but it was hardly his worst hangover. After a few moments more of laying on the couch, he got to his feet and moved toward the bathroom. He leaned against the door and banged on it.

"Get out, Kit," he grunted.

The door jerked open and Link nearly fell through. "Can't a guy take a piss?"

Link pushed Kit out of the way. "I need a shower."

Kit scrunched his nose and smirked. "Yeah, you smell like ass." The door closed behind him and he lifted his arm, smelling his pit. He shrugged. "You going to work?" he asked through the door.

"Unfortunately." The shower turned on.

"Cool. I'm sleeping on your couch for two more hours. Don't wake me."

"Whatever."

"See you tonight?"

"Sure."

Within fifteen minutes, Link was showered, dressed, and headed out the door, taking a moment to throw a pillow at Kit who was stretched out on the couch. In another fifteen minutes, he was grunting a good morning to Sera before hiding behind the desk where he hoped he could sleep most of the day away.

"What's up with you?"

Aryll looked up from her untouched lunch, only noticing then that Anju had sat in front of her. The cafeteria was buzzing loudly with afternoon chatter, though Aryll had managed to tune it out completely. She had floated by through half the day already, not paying attention to a single thing in her classes, her mind elsewhere. "Hm?"

Anju frowned at her best friend as she sat across from her. "I'm worried about you," she said. "You've been super emo for the last couple of weeks."

Aryll rolled her eyes. "I'm not emo."

"You look like you're going to kill yourself."

Aryll frowned down at her lunch.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Anju's voice softened.

Aryll sighed. "There's nothing to talk about."

"I know there is," Anju pressed. "Is it still Link?" Aryll didn't answer, but that was answer enough for her. "Don't you think you should talk to him?"

"Clearly you don't know my brother at all," Aryll muttered. "He doesn't talk about shit."

"What about Aryll's hot brother?" Cremia slid into the seat beside Aryll, grinning. "When are you going to give me his number?"

"Gross," Aryll muttered.

"Hot," Cremia said. "Hot damn. I could look at him all day long." She put her chin in her hand and batted her eyelashes playfully.

"Oh my goddess," Aryll said, burying her face in her hands. "Shut the fuck up."

"I bet redheads are definitely his type, so I've got an edge there." She sighed dreamily. "I'd let him do anything to me."

"Cremia!" Anju narrowed her eyes at her.

"Oh, come on," Cremia said. "I am so not the only one. He's got stupid ass fangirls all over the world."

"Like you?" Anju said, pointing at her with her plastic fork.

"Can we talk about something else?" Aryll muttered.

"Fine," Cremia said with a sigh. "We should make plans this weekend."

"Agreed," Anju said. "Aryll needs to get out of the house."

"And her brother needs to get into me," she whispered.

"Cremia!"

"Oh my Goddess," Cremia whined loudly. "Let me have my fantasy!" She closed her eyes and smiled. "Mm, mm, mm."

"For the love of Hylia," Anju said, shaking her head. "Keep it in your fucking pants."

"Fine," Cremia said, coming back to reality. "So, sleep over at my place? We can totally get crunk!"

"Crunk?" Anju said with a frown. "Really?"

"Live a little, Ary," Cremia said. "You could use a night to loosen up."

Anju shrugged. "She's not wrong."

"One of these days," Cremia started, "she's gonna come in with black hair and black lipstick and stupid black skinny jeans and then I'll have to kill you. For your own good."

"So, this will happen if I don't go out and get crunk with you?" Aryll said dryly.

Cremia nodded. "Most def. And I'm your best friend. I won't let that happen to you." She straightened and grinned. "So, it's settled. Maybe we'll sneak into some clubs. Meet some hot guys. Get laid." She put her head in her hand and spoke into her lunch. "And then I'll go over your house and seduce Link."

Anju punched her shoulder. "What is with you?"

"I appreciate hot men! Why is that a crime?"

"You're an animal."

"What about Revali?" Aryll asked. "Can't it be anyone else besides my fucking brother?"

"Hm. Yeah. He's hot, too." She sighed. "Alright, fine. For the sake of our friendship, I'll put Link on the back burner."

"I am so uncomfortable," Aryll muttered.

"I'm almost afraid to go into her bedroom," Anju said. "I bet she writes terrible smut starring herself."

"I don't need to hear this."

Cremia slapped Anju's shoulder excitedly. "Dude! You should see some of the fics out there!"

"Fics?" Aryll questioned hesitantly.

Cremia nodded. "Oh, yeah. I'm tame compared to what those fangirls want to do to your brother."

"What if I got my tongue pierced?" Aryll asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

"Don't be a cliche," Cremia said. "We all know you're going through your angsty teenage phase. No need to fucking announce it to the world."

"I don't know why I'm friends with you," Aryll said.

"Funny how that happened?" Cremia said. "It's almost like I planted myself in your life to get closer to your brother."

"Sounds about right," Anju said. "Actually. I thought he was with Zelda or something."

"No," Aryll said fiercely. "Why?"

"Well, they were all over the news for a while," she said with a shrug. "Hanging out, being secretive." She wiggled her eyebrows at Cremia. "I don't think you can compete with the Queen of Hyrule."

Cremia made a face of disgust and disapproval. She scoffed. "Please," she started. "She ain't got nothing on me."

"They're not dating," Aryll insisted.

"But they're probably fucking," Cremia said.

Aryll frowned down at her lunch. "Link's gonna get back with Mipha," she said softly.

Cremia rolled her eyes. "Right."

Anju bit her lip. "Why are you like this?"

"That's how this friendship works," Cremia said. "You can baby her and let her be emo all she wants. But I'm a realist. I'm gonna talk some damn sense into her and pull her up on her feet and push her forward whether she likes it or not."

"Lucky you," Anju said to Aryll sarcastically. "You get the best of both worlds."

Aryll smiled. "Alright," she said. "Let's get crunk. But under one condition."

"Anything," Cremia said excitedly.

"Stop drooling over my brother!"

Cremia frowned, then turned serious. She put her hand over her heart. "This is how much I love you, Ary. For you, I will never say a thing about your smoking hot brother ever again." She grinned and winked at her. "Starting now."


	4. Chapter 4

Aryll was feeling particularly petty by the end of the day. She really didn't want to ruin her streak of ignoring her brother, but she supposed that was already ruined that morning when she announced she was going to school. But there was definitely no way she was going to go home and chance seeing him and giving him the chance to argue with her. So, as the day came to an end, and waiting at the last possible moment, she texted Link, stating simply that she was sleeping over Cremaia's and would not be home until Saturday.

It took a while for Link to text her back, and when he did, she was already at Cremia's, trying on outfits her friend had picked out for her that were, in her words, 'club appropriate.' His response was nothing more than a simple 'k.' She didn't exactly expect anything more from him, but she still felt disappointed that he wasn't putting in more effort. But then again, neither was she. She closed the message and pushed her thoughts aside. She checked herself out in the mirror, and despite her earlier trepidations to Cremia's clothing choices, she didn't hate how she looked. She had never cared much for style before, and never wore anything besides jeans (Link always teased her that dresses were here favorite when she was younger) and plain shirts, steering clear of patterns, bright colors, and lace and frills. This was the first time she had worn a skirt - and a black, very short, leather skirt, at that - and a shirt that actually showed - no, accentuated - her cleavage.

She felt unnecessarily girly. And a little sexy. Very sexy. It was… sort of thrilling, and she found that she didn't mind it as much as she thought she would. Tonight was about letting go and having fun again. Something she felt she hadn't done in a while. Cremia was right; she needed to get away. To loosen up. To live her life. And what better way than to break a few little laws and get a little drunk? It seemed like the thing to do to help her forget about her problems. Link certainly did it enough.

Aryll and Anju sat on Cremia's bed while Cremia worked diligently at her makeup. Her mouth was open in concentration as she perfected her eyeliner, then applied her lipstick, finishing it with a smack of her lips. She tussled her hair, checking herself in the mirror before giving herself a nod of approval.

"Plenty of makeup to go around," she said, turning to them.

"Where are you taking us?" Anju asked wearily.

Aryll took the offer of the makeup wordlessly, applying the eyeliner to her eyes in thick strokes.

Cremia grinned. "Well, first, I thought we'd pregame here for a couple hours. No sense going out this early." She tapped on her phone as she spoke, scrolling through various apps and web pages. "There's a few good clubs in the city we can hit. And if you're really feeling adventurous, we can take a drive and see where the night takes us."

"Oh, a road trip!" Anju said. "We should totally do a road trip this summer!"

"Now we're talking," Aryll said. She smacked her lips together and gave herself a flirty look in the mirror. "Hit the coast and never come back."

"Maybe, like, after graduation," Anju said.

Aryll frowned. "You mean we can't just drop out?"

"I also invited a few other people out with us," Cremia said, interrupting them. "They're gonna meet us at the first club."

Anju frowned. "I thought this was girl's night."

"Totally," Cremia said. "But, my goal is to get Aryll's pants off." She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. "I invited Mido."

Aryll blushed. "Shut up," she hissed. "Why would you do that?"

"Because he's soooo dreamy!" Cremia teased. "He's strong. And sexy. But not as sexy as some people."

Anju threw a pillow at Cremia.

"Come on, Ary," Cremia whined. "You had the biggest crush on him."

"And then you made out with him," Aryll reminded her.

"Oh, yeah," Cremia said. "But I'm done with him. You can have him now."

"Gee, thanks," she muttered.

"He's bringing his friends, too," she assured her. "There will be plenty to pick from."

"I was hoping to just get shit faced," Aryll said.

"Drink enough and you might get lucky, too." Cremia moved to her closet, pulling open the doors and digging through. When she emerged, she had two bottles of liquor in her hand. "Drink up, ladies!"

They started off with shots, and Cremia laughed as they choked and coughed. "Amatures," she said as she poured three more shots.

"I can't do that again," Aryll said, shaking her head.

But Cremia brought the shot glass to her lips. "Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Aryll closed her eyes and downed the second shot. "Oh my Goddesses," she groaned. "What is the appeal?!"

After a third round of shots, Cremia dug through her closet once more, pulling out a case of wine spritzers. "These will be more your style," she said, then added, "Pussys."

They were much more tolerable than whatever hell fire was contained in the two bottles Cremia first brought out. They went down easily, and they drank them casually over the next couple of hours as they chatted and took selfies with one another. By the time night had crept in, the case was empty, and they were giggling together on the bed.

Cremia got to her feet. "Ah'right," she said. "We've gotta club to rock."

"How do you 'spect us to even get in?" Anju said. "We're minors."

"Never fear, Cremia is here!" She thrust a fist in the air, then fished through her purse, tossing two ID cards at them. "I hook my girls up!"

"Where…" Aryll started, then shook her head. She didn't even want to know.

"Nice photoshop job," Anju said, admiring her older looking appearance on her card. "Glad to see that older me is still hot."

Cremia rolled her eyes. "It's not like I made you forty, jeez." She grabbed a set of keys off her dresser, threw her purse over her shoulder, and left her bedroom, calling after her friends.

"Wait a sec," Anju said as they followed suit. "Should you really be driving?"

"We're literally going down the street," Cremia said. She lead the way through the house and outside where her mother's car waited. "We'll be fine." The keys were left for 'an emergency,' as her mother had said. "Only if the house is on fire or the city has become over run with aliens, or if you are dying." It wasn't the first time her parents left her alone for the weekend, but it was the first time she could (legally) drive, and she wasn't about to waste a perfectly good opportunity to hit the town.

The three girls slid into the car. Cremia navigated them the short drive down the street, and then a few blocks over, before parking in a lot outside of a club. A bouncer stood at the door, checking IDs of those who entered.

"Follow my lead," Cremia said as they stepped out of the car. "Act like you've done this before. Don't be idiots, k?" They hurried across the street between stopped vehicles and navigated to the back of the line, stopping only when Cremia was pulled quite literally into the crowd.

"Hey!" Mido called to them, waving them over. Cremia stood between him and his friends, giggling as she moved between them, closer than necessary.

"Hey," Aryll said sheepishly. Her head was already swimming, and she had started to feel nauseous, but she was determined to push through the night. There was no way she was backing out now. And for the first time in ever, Mido had spoken to her, and her feelings for him immediately ignited once more. Goddess, he was hot.

Mido smiled. "Started without us?" he said. He took her wrist and pulled her into the line with them.

"It's free to raid my mom's booze," Cremia said.

"Don't worry," Mido said. "We'll keep the drinks coming." He turned his attention back to Aryll. "I was really surprised when Cremia said you were coming out."

Aryll brushed her hair behind her ear and blushed. "Huh? Wha? Why?"

Mido shrugged. "Didn't really think you were the type."

"Guess there's a lot you don't know about me," she said with a flirty smile.

Mido's grin widened. "Yeah?"

"Watch it, man," the guy beside him said, elbowing him. "You know who her brother is, right?"

Mido laughed. "The dumbass with a sword? I'm not worried."

A couple of the guys oohed teasingly, and Aryll frowned.

"Jealous, Mido?" Cremia teased.

Mido grinned and crossed his arms. "If I'm jealous of anything, it's that he's fucking the queen."

"Don't listen to him," Anju offered. "He's being cocky. He's got jock brain."

The guys laughed. "Football guys are idiots," one said to Mido.

Mido rolled his eyes and grinned. "We'll see who's the idiot when I get a full boat into college."

Aryll shrugged. "Nah, he's right," she said. "Link is a dumbass."

They had made it to the front of the line, and Mido held his arm out, allowing the girls to enter first. They flashed their IDs at the bouncer, who glanced at them quickly before ushering them into the club, already checking the group behind them.

From outside, they knew the music was loud, but Aryll still wasn't quite prepared for how loud it actually was once they made their way inside, then down the stairs. Except for the disorienting flashing lights, it was dark and foggy. Dark masses danced and grinded on one another on the dance floor, laughing and posing for pictures. Cremia gripped their wrists as she lead them through the room as if she had done it a hundred times. The guys had momentarily disappeared, but Aryll was more focused on the bodies that pressed up against her as they wandered the club.

After a moment, Cremia seemed satisfied with their location, and she pulled at Aryll's wrist, dancing seductively against her.

"Come on," she shouted over the music. "Get into it. Give 'em something to watch."

Aryll shrugged. If you can't beat them, join them. She took Cremia's hand and followed her moves, dancing as best as her drunken mind would allow her. Within a few minutes, Mido and his friends had found them, drinks in hand. Mido offered Aryll one of the glasses in his hand, and she took it eagerly, smiling a wordless thanks to him. She didn't question what it was, fearing it would be like the shots Cremia gave them, and instead held her breath and drank.

It didn't taste as bad as she expected, though she still didn't know what the hell it was. She finished it quickly, regardless, and set her empty glass on one of the nearby tables as Mido pulled her toward him. He put his hands on her waist, and they moved down slowly to cup her ass. He leaned in, pulling her closer and whispered in her ear.

"Show me all the things I don't know about you," he said flirtatiously.

Aryll smiled and pressed closer to him, grinding up against him as she had seen the other women do. She turned her back to him, then continued to grind against him. She could distinctly feel him against her, in more ways than one, but otherwise took no notice as she lost herself in the music.

Throughout the night, they continued to dance and drink. Just as they promised, the drinks kept coming from various sources. Each one tasted a little different, but after a while, she didn't even notice that. But it didn't take long before she started to feel more and more sick to her stomach. She was stumbling over herself, and though Mido tried to catch her at every chance he could, he was no better off. At some point in the night, she remembered his lips against hers, then moving sloppily to her neck. His hands moved over her body, caressing her thigh and cupping her breasts. She had tried to pull away, but only stumbled against him more, sending him the opposite message she had intended.

Soon, her stomach couldn't handle it any longer, and she found herself vomiting violently into a trash can. Cremia took her hand and lead her into a bathroom where she puked first into a sink, then into a toilet. Cremia held her hair back, but the sounds made her sick, too, and she gagged and choked.

Aryll could not hold her head up any longer. She felt the world spinning much too fast, and her head hit the floor. She hardly noticed the pain, but did feel the cool tiles against her face, and it felt refreshing against her hot skin. And that was the last thing she remembered.

"Aryll!" Cremai shouted to her. "Wake up, idiot!" She whined loudly and did her best to pull her friend across the bathroom, but she was much too drunk to even keep herself up right. She dropped to her knees and slapped her across the face, but Aryll did not budge. After trying a few more times, Cremia started to panic. She searched the bathroom desperately, for what she didn't know, before running as best as she could back into the club, searching for her friends.

Anju and Mido and his friends were leaning against the bar, talking and laughing when she stumbled up to them.

"Aryll's out," Cremia said, panting. She pulled Mido through the crowd and into the bathroom, showing him her passed out friend. Mido picked her up as carefully as he could, then followed Cremia outside and to her car as Anju jogged to catch up with them.

"Maybe you should call an ambulance," Mido said after securing Aryll in the backseat.

"No," Cremia said. "Serious? We'll be so fucked!"

"I dunno," he said wearily. "She doesn't look good."

"Shell be fine," Cremia insisted. "I'll jest take 'er home and shell sleep it off." She slid into the car behind the wheel, starting the ignition as Anju got in beside her.

"He's right," Anju said. "We should go to a hospital."

"Will still be fucked!" Cremia said. She squinted her eyes as she concentrated on driving. "It's easier to get home."

"Cremia," Anju said fiercely. "She's not okay! Hospital!"

Cremia groaned. "Fine!"

Anju turned to the backseat, pushing Aryll in her best attempt to wake her, but she did not move or utter a sound. Her lips twisted in concern, and she moved her fingers under Aryll's nose, then to check her pulse on her neck, and she panicked.

"She's gonna die!"

"She's not gonna die," Cremia barked. "Oh my Goddess!"

"Cremia, this isn't good," Anju sobbed. She shook her head and buried her face in her hands. "We're so fucked. Hurry!"

"Okay!" Cremia stepped harder on the gas, blowing through a stop light and causing the cars that tried to get through to slam on their breaks and ski across the road. Their horns blared angrily as they sped onward down the center of the road, no longer keeping to their own lane. Cremia navigated as best as she could between vehicles, ignoring the side view mirror as it clipped another vehicle and flew through the air, landing on the car behind them and cracking the windshield. She didn't slow as the road narrowed, moving away from the heart of the city.

It was darker where they were, and she was sure she knew the way to the hospital, but it seemed then that they were completely lost. Still, she sped through the dark streets, cresting over the hills and careening dangerously around the corners. The headlights didn't seem bright enough for the dark hour, and an early spring fog had settled in, making visibility more difficult. Still, she sped on, taking another corner much too fast and finally spinning out of control. They screamed as the car spun across the road and finally slammed into a tree, and their world fell darker than the night.


	5. Chapter 5

The ringer on his phone seemed to be set to an unholy volume, shrieking in the night and causing Link to jump from his sleep on the couch. His heart raced, and it took him a moment to reorient himself with the world. After a moment, he hurried to find his phone, then squinted at the bright light as he held it up to his face. He didn't recognize the number the flashed on the screen, but considering it was after midnight, he answered it.

"Link?"

"Hm? Yeah?"

"It's Officer Malone."

Link sat up on the couch and blinked in the darkness. He had become familiar with Malone over the years, thanks to Aryll's occasional trouble with the city police. Fortunately for him, it seemed Malone had a soft spot for Aryll, and he was always easier on them than he probably should have been. Still, his late night calls always made Link nervous. "What? What's wrong?"

"Aryll's at the hospital," he said. "We found her and two of her friends in a wreck on the other side of the city. They're all fine, but heavily intoxicated. Aryll's getting her stomach pumped now."

Link felt violently sick the moment Malone's words hit him. Link was already out the door the moment the officer was finished speaking. He was barely able to tell him that he was coming, and Malone confirmed that he would stay at the hospital until Link arrived.

His mind raced as fast as the car did as he sped through the sleeping city. His emotions flared wildly, rapidly shifting between anger, fear, and guilt. The hospital was only a fifteen minute drive through the city, but each second felt endless, each red light unnecessary, and he sped through most of them, anyway. He didn't care about anything else but getting to Aryll.

When he finally arrived at the hospital, he quickly parked and darted inside, immediately finding Malone in the waiting room. He was leaning against the front desk, looking up briefly as Link entered. He answered Link's question before he even had a chance to ask it.

"She's alright," he assured him. "Sit tight, okay? You'll be able to see her soon."

Link ran his hands through his hair, then dragged them down his face. "Yeah, okay," he muttered, but he couldn't bring himself to just sit and wait. He took to wandering the waiting room aimlessly instead, pacing back and forth with his hands shoved in his pockets. He stared out the window at nothing in particular. It seemed he was waiting a lifetime, but finally a doctor came through the double doors to bring him through the hospital to Aryll's room. He informed him that she would be unconscious for quite some time, but they expected her to be awake some time late in the morning.

It had been ten years since he had last been in a hospital, pacing anxiously as he waited news of Daruk. Or when he eagerly saw his father after his own discharge. But in that moment, he felt more like his ten year old self, moving through the halls to say goodbye to his dying mother. Except this time, if Aryll was gone, he had nothing left.

He stood in front of the closed door, his hand hovering over the knob. His hand shook, and he grasped the door knob mainly in an attempt to steady himself. He sucked in a breath, then opened the door. His eyes immediately fell onto his sister and he had to balance himself on the frame of the door to keep himself from collapsing. He hesitated in the doorway, his eyes glued to her. She was hooked up to various machines, which he was sure were harmless, simply providing her with fluids and otherwise simply monitoring her, but in that moment, she seemed to be on the brink of death.

It took him a moment before he was able to enter the room completely, closing the door behind him. He moved to the side of her bed and sat against it. His fingers brushed through her hair, and he watched as she took slow, deep, sleeping breaths. He lifted his legs onto the bed, pulling her into his arms and pressed his face against her hair where he cried softly.

He stayed like that with her for the rest of the night until the sun crest the horizon. His body had become sore and stiff, but he was unwilling to leave his sister's side in case she woke. He only pulled away when his phone rang after ignoring it three times prior. He sighed, stretched his limbs, and moved across the room to answer the phone.

"Link." Zelda sounded breathless. "Damn it! Don't scare me like that!"

His brows furrowed. "What?"

"I've been trying to get a hold of you!"

"Yeah."

It was quiet on her end for a moment. "Link," she started, her voice softer. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah."

Zelda sighed softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

"I'm not going to get any more out of you, am I?"

Link smiled. "Sorry," he said. "I'm exhausted."

"Alright," she said. "Please keep me updated, okay?"

"I guess I can do that," Link said. He hesitated. "How did you know, anyway?"

"Come on," she said. "When shit happens to Hyrule's Hero, word gets around."

Link frowned and said nothing, so Zelda continued.

"I am the Queen, you know," she reminded him. "Of course Malone was going to tell me what happened."

Link looked up when there was a knock on the door, and Kit poked his head in. "And did you happen to open your hole to anyone else?" Link asked, narrowing his gaze on Kit. Kit waved a gift shop bear in the air before stepping in.

"Well, I may have texted Kit when you weren't returning my messages."

"Yeah, I figured," Link said. Kit took the phone from him with a grin.

"Howdy, Your Majesty."

"Oh," Zelda said. "Sorry, Link."

Link grabbed the phone from Kit. "Now I have a rat to get rid of."

"Well, have fun with that," she said. "Text me."

Link ended the call and turned to Kit. "What do you want?"

"You went incognito," Kit said. "Someone had to check in on you." He turned his gaze to Aryll and frowned. "Shit," he muttered.

Link let himself fall into one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. Kit sat across from him, sitting the bear on the table. He shoved a finger into it, pushing it toward Link.

"Look," he said with a grin. "It says 'get well beary soon.'" He snorted and Link rolled his eyes.

"You're an idiot."

Kit leaned back in the chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Also, you should know, you're banned from my bar."

Link turned his gaze to his sleeping sister. "Yeah?"

"Yup," Kit said. He folded his arms over his chest. "We're doing this cold turkey."

Link nodded slowly. "This is all my fault."

"Nah, man," Kit said in an attempt to reassure him. "Don't start with that shit."

Link rubbed his face with his hands and sighed. "I don't know what to do, Kit."

Kit frowned. "Maybe start by, I dunno, not ignoring each other."

Link turned his gaze to stare at the floor. His elbows rested against his knees. "What do I do?" He closed his eyes. "I can't keep going like this."

Kit said nothing. In truth, he didn't know what to say. He opted to push the bear closer to Link. Link turned his gaze to the bear, then narrowed on Kit.

"One day at a time, Mr. Hero," Kit said in a high pitched voice. He moved the bear to indicate that it was the stuffed animal doing the talking. "Mr. Bear will help you!"

Link sneered at Kit. "Knock it off."

"Hey, I was thinking," Kit said, straightening slightly. "Conspiracy theories aside, there's definitely something up with those Yiga guys. I mean, you said so yourself. Dorian and your dad definitely had some unfinished business between them. Dorian's definitely a double agent."

Link blinked at him. It took him a moment to realize that he was talking about their conversation from the night before, and even longer to remember how that conversation actually went. His brows knit together. "Zelda says he's not."

"But how can she possibly know that?" Kit said. "She's being lied to just like everyone else."

"What are you saying?" Link narrowed his gaze on Kit.

"I think these Yiga guys are a bigger deal than everyone is making them out to be. I bet they were the ones opening the portals. With Dorian on the inside, they can get as much intel as they need on you and Zelda. They're team Ganondorf, right? So, naturally, they'll want to bring that guy back. They couldn't stop you the first time around, so they've been sitting back and waiting, brewing some plan to bring him back and fuck everything up."

Link hesitated. "You're insane," he muttered.

"What if I'm not?" he said, growing excited. "Clearly you can't trust anyone. So, you go rogue. Hunt those bastards down and end them."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Link said. "Have you seen what a Sheikah can do?"

Kit shrugged. "Not really. But I've heard things."

"These are ex-Sheikah," Link said. "They can do everything a Sheikah can do, except they're out to murder. They don't give a flying fuck. I'll be a rotting corpse with a snap of their fingers."

Kit frowned, deep in thought. "There's gotta be something you can do," he said. "This is what you do. Kill bad guys and shit. This is what you live for. This is your comeback."

"No, this was what I was forced into," Link muttered. "Besides. We're talking about real people, here. Murder."

"I don't think anyone would miss them," Kit said with a shrug. "Besides. You killed Ganondorf."

Link grit his teeth together. "This is completely hypothetical," he said. "Your little fantasy world."

"And everything in it is awesome."

"Well, that's not the real world," Link said getting to his feet. "I'm not the hero anymore, remember?"

"I never said that."

"You said that. You got all deep on me and said I didn't have to do anything for anyone."

"That sounds wise," Kit said. "Maybe it's time you let someone else save the day."

Link crossed his arms. "I don't think you could handle it."

"Me? Be the hero? Link, you think so highly of me. I'm flattered."

Link rolled his eyes.

"Hero's think they can save the world when they themselves are lost."

"You stole that from a video game," Link said.

"Shut up, I'm wise."

"Can you both… shut… the fuck… up."

Link's gaze darted over to Aryll. Her hand was on her head and she groaned.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Kit sang.

"Get… out," Aryll said between her teeth.

"Aye, aye," Kit said, jumping to his feet. "Don't gotta ask me twice." He saluted Link as he moved to the door. "Peace out, Girlscout." And with that, he closed the door behind him.

Link moved to the bed, sitting on the edge of it beside her. "Hey," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

Aryll sighed. Her hand was still on her forehead and her eyes were closed, but she was sitting up. "Terrible."

Link snorted. "Good." When she opened her eyes, he narrowed his gaze on her. "If you fucking do that again, I will fucking kill you."

Aryll frowned and pulled her gaze away.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Ary?" His voice hardened. Now that Aryll was alright, he allowed himself to get angry with her.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

"You're sorry?" He got to his feet. "You could have died!"

Aryll hesitated. Silence fell between them, and she glanced over at her brother as the tears escaped their hold, and her heart sank.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. She buried her face in her hands.

Link bit his lip, then moved back to sit beside her, pulling her into his arms. "What were you thinking?"

Aryll shook her head. "I don't know," she said. She sniffed softly. "I thought… I guess…" She sighed, exasperated. "It just seemed like… the thing to do. I was upset, and I just wanted to forget about everything. To have fun, or something…"

Link's brows furrowed. "So, you got drunk and crashed a car?"

"I wasn't the one driving," Aryll said. She hesitated. "I don't… even remember what happened."

Link sighed softly and closed his eyes. "Aryll…"

"I know it was dumb," she said. "But we were having fun. And after a while, it kinda made sense. Why you're always drunk."

"I'm not…" But he couldn't finish the sentence. It seemed it was his fault after all. He was spiraling out of control, and it was effecting Aryll more than he realized. He pressed his face against her head. "I'm sorry, Ary."

"I… I know."

It was quiet between them once more. After a moment, Link found his voice again.

"When you get out of here, I'm going to kick your ass and put you back in here."

Aryll smiled. "Yeah. I know." She closed her eyes. Her head was pounding, and all she wanted to do was sleep the weekend away.

Aryll slept the rest of the morning, and Link attempted to preoccupy himself during that time. The calls came in slowly, one by one, as news of Aryll's accident circulated, likely from Zelda updating the rest of the group. It had been a while since he had heard from most of his friends, but he appreciated their calls as they came nonetheless. That was, until Mipha's call came.

It had been a few years since they had broken up, shortly after the death of his father, and the wounds from it still felt fresh and raw. Despite their break up, the rest of their friends tried to get together whenever they could, but more often than not, it came at a sacrifice. Either Mipha avoided them, or Link did. It wasn't like they hated each other. Far from it, in fact. Though they never said anything, they both wanted nothing more than to be together again.

But Link stood firm in his decision. Mipha had too many goals in life. And he… well, he was nothing but a downward spiral who refused to drag anyone down with him. Maybe he couldn't make Mipha understand that, but it was the right thing to do. If nothing else, he just wanted her to be happy. And if that happiness meant be couldn't be in her life, then so be it.

Urbosa, of course, had much to say on the matter, but after the first year, it became clear to them that Mipha and Link would not be getting back together, and they soon dropped the matter completely. They found time to spend with both of them separately, though the group didn't quite feel the same.

Link was hesitant to answer her call, but wanted nothing more than to hear her voice. He answered it after the third ring, and Mipha's tone told him that she seemed surprised he answered at all.

"Hey," she said in a breathy sigh. "Goddesses, Link. Is she alright?"

Link turned his gaze down the hall toward Aryll's room. Cremia and Anju had made it down to visit her, but not without bursting into tears when they saw her. Link had seen their parents briefly before he hurried out to answer a call, and they seemed just as displeased with him as they did their own daughters.

"Yeah," Link answered. "Yeah, she's fine."

"Good," she said with a soft sigh. She hesitated. "How are you?"

"Peachy," Link muttered. "I haven't slept all night, and I think Anju's mother is about to rip me a new one."

Mipha laughed softly. "Glad I'm not you."

"Yeah," he said slowly. He cleared his throat. "How's, uh, the doctor thing?"

"Oh, you know," she said with a heavy sigh. "The last eight years of my life have been nothing but school."

Link felt a spark of hope for a moment. "Eight years, huh?" He paused. "So, like, is that it?"

"Once I graduate this year, I'll be starting my residency."

He frowned. "Oh. Yeah. Right." He racked his brain for something more to keep the conversation going. "Uh, where are you doing that?"

Mipha hesitated. "I don't know," she said after a moment. "I was supposed to have applied to places by now."

"So, why didn't you?"

Mipha was quiet for another moment. "I don't know," she finally said. "I did apply to some places in the city. I was thinking I should come home for a while."

Link's brows knit together. "Why?"

"I don't know," she said, her voice soft. "It just felt like… something I needed to do."

"That will set your whole career back."

"Not really," she said. "It will be a good starting out point."

"And then you'll leave again?"

Mipha hesitated. "Link -"

"Do what you need to do," he said quickly. "I gotta get Aryll discharged. I'll talk to you later." He ended the call before Mipha had a chance to say anything further. He stood in the hallway, staring at his phone before slipping it back into his pocket. He looked up as Cremia's mother approached him. She offered him a warm smile, but Link knew all too well of her strong personality.

"I'm glad Aryll is okay," she started. She shook her head in disappointment. "We came as soon as we heard." She sighed heavily. "I cannot believe Cremia's stupidity. Grounding her for life doesn't seem enough."

"Sounds like she got off easy," Link said.

She frowned. "This seems so unlike Aryll," she continued. "I never would have thought of her becoming such a problem child."

Link narrowed his gaze on her. "Well, you know how it is," he said coolly. "Obviously, she has some negative outside influences."

Her eyes narrowed on him. "I suppose you're talking about my daughter?"

"Well, I'm certainly not one to point fingers, but it was her driving, and your car she crashed."

Her face reddened, but she seemed able to remain surprisingly calm. "Well," she said softly. "At least when my daughter does wrong, I take the appropriate actions, as any parent would."

"Don't try to lecture me about being a parent," he hissed. "Aryll has enough sense to know she fucked up. She doesn't need me to berate her and remind her of that."

"She needs -"

"What she needs is everyone to stop treating her like a sad little orphan," he snapped. "If I need help raising a rebellious teen, I'll be sure to look you up." He stepped around her, leaving her fuming alone in the hallway.


	6. Chapter 6

Aryll went home Saturday night, and though she had the entire weekend to recover from her drunken adventures on Friday night, she still felt like complete shit when Monday morning came. She was groggy and tired, despite almost sleeping the weekend away. She and Link barely spoke when they returned home, but she felt too ashamed to even look at him, anyway, and didn't want to have any kind of conversation about the situation with him. To her relief, he didn't pry. If things were different – if her father were alive – she would have surely been grounded. Link, however, never dared to try to ground her, but simply stewed in his own anger whenever she did something stupid. She was sure that was how he spent his weekend, and was probably happy not to have to parent her.

She barely made it through her first two classes when she was stopped in the hall heading to her third class. She immediately recognized the adult as the school's counselor, and she couldn't help the groan and cuss that escaped her throat.

Mrs. Chen raised a brow at her but made no other comment about her inappropriate language. "Aryll," she started. "I was hoping I could borrow a few moments of your time?"

Aryll hesitated as she quickly tried to come up with an excuse. "You know, I think I have a test in my next class."

The counselor smiled. "I'm sure your teacher will let you make it up. I'll write you a note myself. I promise it won't take long."

Aryll shifted her books in her arms. "Well, I'm sure I don't have a choice," she muttered.

Mrs. Chen held her smile. "Come on," she said. "Let's go to my office."

Aryll rolled her eyes, but followed the woman, dragging her feet begrudgingly as she did so. When they reached her office, she took a seat in front of the desk, slouching back in the chair as she waited for the counselor to close the door and sit behind her large desk like the professional she thought she was.

"Is this about Ren? Because I'm not apologizing for punching him. Idiot had it coming."

Mrs. Chen shifted through some pages on her desk, not meeting Aryll's gaze. "No," she said with a sigh. "I figured I wouldn't even bother with that one."

Aryll grinned. It seemed she was making a name for herself in school if even the counselor wasn't going to bother scold her anymore. "Don't worry," she said smugly. "I'll try to make your life easy, just as long as those fuckers learn to keep their mouths shut."

Mrs. Chen folded her hands on her desk and looked up at Aryll. She offered a small smile, choosing to ignore the clearly rebellious teen's behavior. "How's everything at home?"

Aryll groaned loudly and rolled her eyes. "Here it comes. Can we just get to the point? Why am I here?"

"You're here because of your actions on Friday night," Mrs. Chen said frankly, the smile disappearing.

"Friday night?"

She pointed a finger down at one of the papers on her desk. "You and your friends were drinking, which was your first offence. You also stole a car, your second offence, and drove while intoxicated, offence number three. Not to mention the fact that you got into a very serious accident that could have claimed your lives."

"It wasn't stolen," Aryll said with a loud groan. "It was Romani's mom's car!"

"Taken without permission," Mrs. Chen continued. "But that's hardly the worst of the situation."

"What's your point?"

"This is unlike you, Aryll. These last few months, your behavior has completely changed. And it's my job to figure out why and get you back on track. You're a straight A student, Aryll. You're better than this."

"I hardly see how what I do outside of school is any of your concern."

"The well-being of all the students here are my concern," she said, her brows furrowing slightly. "When things are hard at home, students tend to rebel."

"What makes you think that's me?" Aryll accused.

Mrs. Chen cocked her head to the side. "Well, it can't be easy to be in your shoes," she said. "To be without a mother and a father."

"That's not it," she said. "You're talking about Link."

"Is there something going on with Link?"

"Look," Aryll said frankly, sitting forward in her seat. "I'm sorry you weren't good enough to become an actual shrink or whatever. You're stuck here in a hormonal infested high school where you're stuck with the greasy-haired goths that just want to write song lyrics about how they're going to kill themselves. That's gotta be the lowest of the low in your line of work. So let me cut to the chase and do your job for you. You think life sucks so much for poor Aryll. She's got not mother, no father, and an ex-hero of a brother who is clearly just as fucked up as she is, maybe worse. PTSD, depression, alcoholism, you name it. It's no secret. And someday, he'll either drink himself to death, or OD, or maybe just straight up kill himself, and then poor little Aryll will have no one left, and she won't be able to handle that, and she'll follow in her brother's sad, pathetic footsteps, and that will be the end of that."

The counselor held her gaze on Aryll as she spoke, and when she finished, her forehead creased in concern. "Is that what you think will happen?"

Aryll hesitated, her words lingering in her mind after her outburst. She replayed them over and over, and each time she realized just how much of a possibility that situation seemed to be. She burst into tears at that moment and pulled her legs to her chest to hide her face in her knees. She sobbed and her body shook. She let the tears flow despite wanting to seem stronger than she was. She didn't quiet until she heard Mrs. Chen shifting in her seat, and when she looked up, the counselor had the phone in her hand, her finger hovering over the numbers.

Aryll lunged across the desk, knocking the phone out of the woman's hand. "No, please!" she begged as she fell against the desk and continued to sob. "Don't call anyone. Don't call Link. Don't call someone to take me out of here in a straight jacket. Don't call anyone. Please."

The counselor hesitated, looking Aryll over, then replaced the phone. "You realize that it is my job to report students with suicidal tendencies."

"I'm not suicidal!" Aryll barked. She dragged herself off of the desk and fell into the chair, feeling exhausted. "I'm not, I swear. I'm not. I'll talk to Link, okay? I'll do whatever. Just don't call him. Don't call anyone. Just... just..." She broke into another sob. "Don't take him away from me. Please."

Mrs. Chen frowned down at Aryll. "What would you like me to do?"

Aryll shook her head. "I don't know," she muttered, still avoiding the counselor's gaze. "Let me... let me do this. Let me talk to him. He'll listen to me. He'll do anything for me. I can fix this."

"Can you?" The counselor paused, but Aryll said nothing. "That's a lot of pressure for a sixteen year old girl."

Aryll pinched her lips together, but said nothing.

"Aryll, you've been through more shit than most people have in their entire life," Mrs. Chen said frankly. "No one expects you to be able to do it alone."

Aryll stood and wiped at her eyes. "Can I go now?"

Mrs. Chen hesitated, then sighed. "Alright," she said simply. "But I'd like to see you on a regular basis. At least once a week. Can we do that?"

"Do I have a choice?" Aryll muttered.

The counselor smiled. "I'll see you next week, Aryll." She watched as Aryll left her office without another word. When the door was closed, she reached for the phone and dialed.

Link stared at his computer screen, but the words and numbers seemed unrecognizable. He couldn't make heads or tails of anyone of it, but he wasn't exactly trying, either. No, he was simply staring, his mind empty. He wanted to close his eyes and sleep forever, and for a moment, he thought of doing just that. Or, at the very least, putting his head on his desk and hoping no one came to bother him. He had done it before. It was easy enough to hide in a cubicle and catch a quick nap. But life had other plans, the ringing phone causing him to nearly jump out of his chair.

He rubbed his eyes, letting it ring twice more before answering it. "Yeah?"

"Link, it's Mrs. Chen, the school counselor."

Link's heart jumped. "What? What's wrong? Is Aryll okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. Actually, she just left my office. We had a little chat."

Link blinked at the wall. "Huh? Why? About what?" He listened as the women spoke, and his heart sank. He nodded his head and verbally acknowledge that he had heard her and understood, but the world seemed to move forward without him, and before he realized it, he was hanging up, the conversation over. He stared at the phone for a moment before jumping out of his seat, grabbing his jacket and flinging it over his shoulder as he ran across the office.

"What's the hurry, Hero?" Sera said with a grin, but it disappeared quickly when she caught his urgency. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Sera," he said simply, but she knew too well what he needed of her.

"Alright," she called after him as he ran for the door. "You get one more of these!"

Link didn't know what to do with himself when he got home. There was still a couple hours before Aryll actually came home. He considered going right to the school to pick her up and give her the rest of the day off, but he thought better of it, figuring she wouldn't want to be bothered. Still, it didn't ease his worrying, and every situation imaginable found its way into his head. What if she didn't come home at all? What if she was hurt? What if she hurt herself? Or someone hurt her?

He tried to drown out the thoughts with tv. He stretched out on the couch, then curled up into the corner, tossing and turning every which way, unable to get comfortable, or get away from the thoughts that haunted him. Finally, he made his way into the kitchen, where he started for the fridge to get a beer, but then thought better of that. Aryll was upset – seeing him with a beer wouldn't help the situation.

So he opted to shift through the unopened mail on the counter, but that only brought him more distress. Overdue bills, an unpaid mortgage, what if the house was foreclosed? Could he find an apartment cheap enough for the two of them? Or would they just be stuck living like trolls under a bridge?

He moved to the table where he sat and instead opted to bury his face in his hands. It wasn't long after that when Aryll finally came home, looking just as tired and ragged as he felt. She hesitated in the doorway when she saw her brother, then let it close softly behind her.

"She called you," she said simply.

Link glanced at her from over his hands. He let his hand drag down his face, and he paused for a moment to scratch at his chin. He needed to shave. Or maybe he'd just let the beard grow in. He stretched his legs out under the table. He was avoiding the conversation. "Yeah," he finally said.

"Oh." Aryll dropped her bag on the floor but did not move from where she stood. "What... did she tell you?"

"Everything." Link assumed it was everything, anyway. Mostly, he was waiting to see how Aryll would react.

Aryll pulled her gaze away, then sat herself at the table across from him. But still, she did not regard him. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment before she spoke. "Oh."

Link hesitated. His brows furrowed as he held his gaze on his sister. "So, is that what you think's going to happen?"

Aryll shrugged a shoulder. "Is that what's going to happen?" She met his gaze. When Link didn't answer, her heart dropped. She stared helplessly at her brother.

"Link!"

"Nothing's going to happen," he muttered, pulling his gaze away.

Aryll stood suddenly. "I'll believe it when you mean it!" she shouted at him.

"I mean it!" Link shouted back. "For the love of Hylia, I'm not going anywhere!"

For the second time that day, Aryll broke down. She covered her face with her hands, dropped to her knees, and sobbed. She continued to sob as Link hurried to her and took her in his arms. She let him pull her into his chest where she cried harder, and he held her tight.

"I'm sorry," she said between sobs. She was finding it more difficult to breathe as she continued to cry, no longer able to control any of it. "I don't know what's happening. I don't know what to do. What do I do? What do you want me to do?"

Link pressed his face into her hair. "I'm sorry, Aryll," he muttered. "You don't have to do anything, okay?"

"I have to," she sobbed. "I'm just… I'm so scared, Link. I don't want to be alone."

"You're not," he said to her, hugging her tighter. "I promise you, Aryll. You will never be alone. I promised you that, and I won't break that promise. Ever."

Her body shook as she sobbed. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "For Friday night. For everything. For being a burden. I'm sorry."

"Stop it," he growled. "You're not a burden." He hesitated. "Please don't do that to me again. I can't lose you, too."

Aryll nodded against him, unable to speak as she continued to sob.

"All I wanted to do was give you a normal life," he said softly.

"I know," she whispered. "I just. I took that and threw it in your face. I'm sorry."

"I know," he said. "I'm sorry, too. For everything."

Her crying quieted after a moment. She didn't move from his arms. She listened to his heart beat and closed her eyes.

Link lost track of time. He didn't know how long they sat on the kitchen floor. All he knew was that it was very late, and he was seriously thinking of calling out of work, and maybe even letting Aryll skip school. As the night went on, her sobbing had quieted, and she eventually fell asleep against him. Link didn't dare move or wake her. His fingers stroked her hair absentmindedly as he stared into the darkness. For a moment, she shifted and murmured something indiscernible. Link let his fingers rest in her palm and she quieted once more.

But her eyes opened at his touch and she blinked in the darkness. Her fingers curled around his and she sighed softly through her nose. It was a simple gesture, his hand in hers, but in the time since their father's death, it had become an unspoken reassurance between them; a reminder that they were not alone. That they still had each other. That the other was still very much a presence in their lives. It was a promise. One they both held dearly.

She pressed closer to her brother. "Link."

Link wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I'm here," he said softly. "I promise. I won't leave you, okay?"

Aryll nodded silently. "I miss Dad," she said after a moment.

"Me too."

"And Mipha."

Link sighed softly. "Me too."

"You know," she started after a quiet moment. "I always knew what you were doing when you ran off in the middle of the night. Or when you came home with torn, bloodied shirts. Dad never said anything to me, but I knew that my brother was a hero, that he was saving the world." She hesitated. "It scared the shit out of me. It scared the shit out of Dad. But I knew you would be okay. I just had this feeling, I guess, that everything would be okay. That you would make everything okay." She sighed softly. "I guess it never occurred to us that things wouldn't always be okay, even after the war was won. You gave up everything, for this world, and for me, and you never got so much as a thanks."

"I don't need thanks," he said. "If I wanted anything in return at all, I wouldn't have gone through all this bullshit."

Aryll smiled. "I guess that's your problem. You're too selfless."

"I really thought that would get me further in life."

Aryll let her head rest against him. "Thank you," she whispered.

Link shrugged. "I didn't do it for you. I did it for me. I didn't want to lose anyone else. See? I'm selfish."

Aryll laughed lightly. "I think you deserve to be a little selfish." She paused. "We don't even have to stay here. We could go anywhere. Who would stop us?"

"You need to finish school."

"But I can do that anywhere."

"Maybe," he said. "But you don't have much longer."

"I guess." She closed her eyes. "As long as we're together."

He kissed her head. "I promise."

Aryll nodded. "And Mipha." She turned her gaze to him. "Don't push her away."

Link's brows furrowed and he turned away from his sister. "It's complicated."

"It's really not," she said. "You think you're doing her favors, but you're not. You're not doing anyone any favors." She forced a smile. "I mean, you're a mess without her. Why don't you just let her be there? For you?" Her smile grew. "She's your hero."

"Being a hero is a lot of pressure," he said. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"I think true heroes have the strength to handle those kinda things," she said. "Sometimes, even the most unlikely people."

"Maybe you're right," he said. "That doesn't mean she'll take me back, though."

"She will," Aryll said.

"You seem pretty sure of that."

Aryll shrugged and smiled. "I just know these things."


	7. Chapter 7

It was very late when Aryll finally made it to her bed, knowing all too well that she would need to get up for school in just a couple of hours. To her relief, sleep came easily, taking over the moment her head hit the soft pillow, and she didn't stir until she felt the bright sun streaming across her face. She squinted and groaned, turning her back to the sun before her eyes landed on her alarm clock. The time read 8:36. She jumped up and stumbled out of bed, falling onto the floor before bounding back to her feet in a panic. She had already missed her first period of the day and was well into her second. She cursed her alarm clock for not waking her as it should have. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from a pile on the floor of her room as she sprinted out the door and practically leapt down the entire flight of stairs. She bounced against the wall, pushing herself around the corner in a frenzie to search for her sneakers when a strange scent caught her attention. Something was burning.

"Why is the house burning down now?" she shouted as she slid into the kitchen. She stared at her brother as he blew desperately at a pan on the stove that had ignited.

"What are you doing, idiot?" Aryll shouted at him. She grabbed the pan and threw it immediately into the sink, dousing the flames with water.

"Why is it on fire?" Link shouted at her. "What did I do?"

Aryll turned and sneered at him. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Making pancakes," Link said sheepishly.

Aryll blinked at him. "How the fuck do you burn down the kitchen making pancakes?"

"I don't know!"

Aryll shook her head and sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair quickly before pulling it into a ponytail. "Drive me," she said simply. "I'm late."

Link turned back to the stove. A few pancakes he cooked earlier came out halfway decent and were waiting on a plate. "Yeah, I shut off your alarm," he said. He took the plate and offered the pancakes to her.

Aryll moved her gaze between her brother and his poor attempt at making breakfast. Her brows knit together. "Why?"

"Because we're playing hooky," he said. He pushed the plate at her. "Look. It has peanut butter and bananas."

"You're real proud of yourself right now," Aryll said with a grin.

"Yeah, a little bit."

She took the plate with a shrug and sat at the table. "Well, it looks edible. The house is still standing. You only ruined one pan. I guess you did alright."

Link sat across from her with his own plate and shrugged. He poked a fork into a pancake and noticed then that the inside was not as cooked as it should be.

He frowned. "What the fuck are pancakes, anyway?" he muttered. "Devil's food."

Aryll grinned. "You didn't let it cook all the way through."

Link flipped the pancake over to reveal a slightly burned side and his frown deepened.

"The heat was too high," Aryll said simply.

"Well, don't you know everything," Link said.

"It's like, cooking one-oh-one," she said. "You love food. How are you not a better cook?"

Link shrugged. "I do the eating, not the cooking."

Aryll snorted. "I'm still not sure how I survived childhood with two of the most incompetent men in the world."

"There were a lot of peanut butter and banana sandwiches," Link said.

"And pizza."

"You're alive, aren't you?"

"For now," Aryll said. "But I might die of a heart attack at twenty."

"I only have to keep you alive until you're eighteen. After that, you're on your own."

"What ever will I do?" Aryll said dryly. "I'll have no one around to tell me to eat my veggies." She smirked at her brother.

"Wow," Link muttered. "We really did do a shit job. I don't think you've had a vegetable in your entire life."

Aryll laughed. "Not true," she said. "Pizza sauce has tomatoes."

Link chewed thoughtfully. "Oh, yeah." He shrugged. "Guess that means we can have pizza for dinner tonight. Get your daily dose of tomatoes."

Aryll grinned. "Just what every teen needs."

"So, what are we doing today?"

"I dunno," Aryll said with a shrug. "You're the irresponsible adult that let me skip school. What's your plan?"

"I only got as far as pancakes," Link said. "You pick next."

"Let's go to the ranch," she said cheerfully. "I want to ride."

"You know Talon will make you shovel shit," Link warned.

"That's okay," she said. "I don't mind. Someone's gotta do it."

"I do it."

"That's not what I've heard," Aryll said with a teasing grin.

Link raised a brow. "What have you heard?"

"Talon says you spend most of the time chasing the cuccos."

"They chase me," Link muttered.

"And why do they chase you?"

Link sighed loudly. "Because I ran them over one time!"

"I think you did it on purpose," Aryll said.

"Did not," he retorted childishly. He crossed his arms. "They want to kill me, and they won't stop until they do."

"Don't worry," she said with a grin. "I'll protect you from the big, bad cuccos." She brought her empty plate to the sink. "Who would have guessed that Hyrule's Chosen Hero, defeater of Ganondorf, enemy number one, would be afraid of a little cucco?"

"You've seen a cucco, right?" Link snapped.

"You've seen Ganondorf, right?"

"Yeah, but," Link started. But he had no reasonable excuse to bring to his defense, and Aryll snickered.

"Hey, so can I drive?" Aryll grabbed his keys from the counter.

Link stood and sneered at her, pulling the keys out of her hand. "Over my dead body."

Aryll frowned. "But I have my license," she whined.

"You crashed into a damn tree," Link hissed.

"I wasn't driving!" Aryll followed her brother as he made his way outside to the car. "Come on, man, don't be like that."

"Fine," he said, stopping and leaning against the car. He looked up in thought. "But, remember the last time you did drive?"

"We arrived safely at our destination," Aryll said proudly.

"You hit a curb," Link said, crossing his arms.

"I just misjudged the turn a little bit." She rolled her eyes.

"You fucked up the wheel."

"It's just a little scratch!" She sighed in frustration. "It's not like it's a new car or anything."

"It's an antique!"

"So," Aryll started slowly. "Old is better than new?"

"You are infuriating," Link said. "You're never driving it again."

"Does that mean you're buying me a car?"

Link laughed sharply. "You're lucky you don't live under a bridge."

Aryll frowned. "Dad would let me drive it. It is his car."

"Well, it's mine, now," Link said. "And if I had to save you or the car, I'd pick the car."

"Rude," Aryll said, crossing her arms.

Link sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose before pulling open the passenger door and sliding in. He tossed the keys over his shoulder at his sister. "Please don't kill me."

Aryll squealed and hurried around the car. She slid in behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition.

"Seatbelt," Link warned her.

Aryll rolled her eyes and sighed, but she pulled the belt around her. "Can we put the top down?" She was pressing the button anyway, grinning up at the sky as it pulled back.

Link sighed and got out of the car, securing the top of the vehicle before getting back in. "Stop touching shit," he muttered. "You're gonna break it."

Aryll pulled her sunglasses out and wiggled her eyebrows at her brother. "Stop being so lame."

"You suck the life out of me," he said.

Aryll revved the engine and laughed as Link scolded her.

"Stop being a child," he hissed.

"Stop being such a Dad."

"How have I not died of a heart attack, yet?" he muttered.

Aryll grinned and pulled out into the road. "Why are the men in our family so damn dramatic?"

"Because we had to deal with you."

"I'm wonderful." She swerved to avoid a chipmunk.

"You know there's a million of those, right?" Link hissed.

"But it's so cute!"

To his relief, his phone rang, and Revali's name flashed on the screen as an incoming video call. "What's up, idiot?" he said when he answered. He was clearly at some sort of party, judging by the people in the background and the loud music playing. His brows knit together. "What the fuck you doing?"

Link turned the camera to focus on Aryll as she drove. She waved excitedly and Link shouted at her. He turned the camera back to his face. "I'm probably gonna die," he said. "If I do, please blow up the house. Tell Daruk he can have the insurance money. You get nothing."

"What about the car? Assuming its salvageable."

"No. Daruk gets that, too."

"The fuck is he gonna do with it? He won't appreciate it like I do!"

"You will bring shame to it," Link said.

"Your father did that a long ass time ago when he conceived your sorry ass."

Aryll groaned loudly. She picked her hands off the steering wheel as if she had touched something gross, and Link scolded her once more.

"I don't need to hear these things," she whined.

"I can't believe you're letting her drive it," he said, shaking his head. "Hey, wait. It's a school day. The fuck are you guys doing?"

"Playing hooky," Link said.

"You couldn't have waited until I got home?"

"Why?" Link said. "I don't want to hang out with you."

Revali frowned. "Don't you miss me?"

"Why are you calling?"

"To show you this rager you're missing out on."

"Revali," Link started. "It's almost ten in the morning."

"I've been awake for two days straight!"

Link frowned.

"For real," Revali continued. "I'll be in town later this week. Mipha said she'd be home from her big fancy doctor school. We're all getting together."

"I don't think so," Link said.

"Dude," Revali pushed. "Kiss and make up already."

"Goodbye." He ended the call, cutting Revali off.

"I'm not the only one," Aryll sang.

"Whatever."

"Why didn't you tell me everyone was coming home?"

"Because no one told me."

"We're hanging out!"

"No, we're not."

Aryll frowned. "Stop being you for like, two damn seconds, alright?" Aryll sighed. "We haven't seen them in like, forever."

"That's what happens," Link muttered. He turned his gaze out the side of the car. "Get used to it. Once you hit college, you'll never talk to you friends again."

Aryll bit her lip. "We can just… go home…"

"No," Link said quickly. "No, fuck that. You're driving. You're in charge."

Aryll smiled. "So, you can't stop me if I drive to the shelter and get a dog."

"Can't you just play with the dogs at the ranch?"

"Fine," Aryll said. "But only because I don't need you feeding it peanut butter and banana sandwiches for every meal."

"You would deny it such fineries?" Link said. "That's abuse."

Aryll snorted. "I feel bad for your future children," she said. "Good thing they'll have Auntie Ary around."

"Or," Link started. "I'll be the really cool, single, kid-free uncle to your future children."

"That's just sad and pathetic."

"That's kind of my jam."

"You and Mipha are having babies."

"Can we stop with this Mipha shit?"

"Not until you accept the fact that you're gonna be together forever."

Link sighed. "You're stubborn."

Aryll smiled. "I guess it won't be so bad for your future children," she said. "I mean, I think we turned out alright. And you're like, basically the same person Dad was."

"I don't know how to take that," Link said slowly. "And I think you're playing fast and loose with the term 'alright.'"

Aryll shrugged. "We're alive and no one's stripping for money."

"Yet," Link said. "I might start."

Aryll frowned. "Then what am I supposed to do? There's only room for one cliche sad stripper story."

"Gold digger," Link said. "I'm sure Zelda could hook you up with some rich old man."

"Ah, yes," Aryll said. "An excellent trope. I think that one will work out well for me."

"Don't forget to send me money every now and then."

"And when my husband kicks the bucket, I'll be living free and easy."

"Nice."

Aryll sighed. "I guess we are pretty fucked up."

"I wasn't gonna say anything." He paused. "There's still hope for you."

"Yeah," she said softly. "There is. For both of us." She smiled as she navigated into the countryside. "Because Mipha's coming home, and you guys are gonna get back together, and everything will be good again."

Link frowned. "Why can't we be good as we are?"

"Well, we can," Aryll said. "But, good can always be better."

"Maybe you're right," Link said. "I could go for better." He meant it in more ways than one.


	8. Chapter 8

Talon wasn't around when Link and Aryll got to the ranch, but they made their way into the paddocks, anyway, each retrieving their favorite horse and bringing them into the barn. The old, battered farm truck pulled up in front of the barn as they brushed and saddled the horses. Talon stepped out, grunting and muttering under his breath as his stiff joints cracked. He stretched his arms over his head, then mosied toward them with his rifle in hand. He spat at the ground before entering the barn, acknowledging Link with a nod and tipping his straw hat to Aryll.

"It's yer day off, Kid," he said in a gruff voice. "Fact, shouldn't she be in school?"

"We're playing hooky," Aryll said with a wide grin.

"You know," Link started, "you're not supposed to announce it to everyone you talk to."

Aryll rolled her eyes. "It's not like I'm telling my teachers."

Talon smiled and nodded. "Right, then. So, yer cleaning dem stalls afta, hm?"

"Link said I could do it," Aryll said, still grinning over her horse's back.

"I dun care who does it," he said. He thrust the rifle into Link's arms. "Dem bears 'ave been out 'n about, yanno. Shoot 'em 'fore they get at my cuccos 'gain."

Link shrugged and secured the rifle onto the saddle. It wasn't the first time he had to shoot a bear or two that had wandered onto the property. Link would have allowed them to take a cucco or two, mainly out of revenge, but it would have only made them come back more frequently, and then he'd never hear the end of it from Talon.

"You trust this idiot with a gun?" Aryll said, frowning.

"If 'e can defeat the great Ganondorf with a sword, I think 'e can handle a rifle."

"He can't shoot himself in the foot with a sword," Aryll pointed out.

Talon grinned. "Would you ratha I give 'im a sword, den?"

Aryll seemed to consider her options for a moment.

Talon slapped Link on the back with a wrinkled hand and tipped his hat at them once more. "'Ave fun, now." He shot an invisible rifle. "Shoot 'em dead."

"Poor bears," Aryll said as Talon mosied back into his truck. "All they want is dinner."

"They'll eat you for dinner," Link said.

"Beats peanut butter and banana sandwiches," she said with a shrug.

They brought their horses out of the barn where they both climbed into their saddles. Aryll took a moment to coo to her horse, reaching down to scratch the gelding's ears as Link and his steed started onward. Her gelding trotted to catch up to his companion, slowing to a walk as he reached his side. His ears and tail flicked happily as they walked.

They followed the path around the open pastures, along the tree line, and eventually into the woods, where they continued to follow various trails as they twisted this way and that. When the path widened and flattened, they broke into a gallop, racing one another. Most of the time, Link let Aryll slip passed him.

She stood in her stirrups, thrusting a fist in the air and whooping loudly in an attempt to rub her victory in Link's face.

Before long, the trees thinned, and they eventually stepped out of the forest and into a clearing. Rolling hills stretched out into the countryside of Hyrule and to the horizon. To their right, the land sloped downwards toward a dirt road. Beyond the road lay a thick forest, and the mountain range seemed to spring up from the trees. To their left, the land stretched on until it met the edge of Lake Hylia. The lake was far too wide to see beyond it, but somewhere, the highway stretched over the lake, busy with passing motorists oblivious to the landscape that Aryll and Link enjoyed.

It was like a secret only she and her brother knew about, and it quickly became Aryll's favorite place to escape to. They often rode out to it, letting their horses stretch their legs, galloping along the ridge of the hills, without a care in the world. It didn't matter who won or lost; it wasn't a race, but an escape from their own realities.

This time, however, they did not run away from their lives. Instead, they looked out over the landscape as the horses grazed quietly. A gentle breeze blew through their manes and tails and Aryll sighed. It felt like the first time in a long time where she felt relatively at peace. Despite all that had transpired, she and Link had both come out on top, and she was reminded that over the years, they always did. No matter what life threw at them, they always prevailed, and she felt comfort in that. Link would never let it be otherwise. And neither would she.

She turned to her brother, who was no longer enjoying the peace that came with the view, but instead had his nose in his phone, his fingers flying along the screen as he texted. Aryll took out her own phone, flipping through the filters on her camera until she settled on one with dog ears and a tongue. She held it out at arm's length until Link was in the picture. He glanced up with an annoyed look on his face, and she snapped the picture.

"Mipha says hi," Link said dryly as he turned back to his phone.

Aryll glanced at him. "You're texting her?"

"She called Saturday asking about you."

She pinched her lips together. "Whatcha talkin' about now?"

"How many kids we're gonna have."

Aryll frowned. "I know you're being a jerk, but I'd be okay with that." She watched as he snorted and otherwise ignored her comment, recalling the end of the conversation she overheard in the hospital. Link and Kit were talking about some kind of Yiga Clan. She hadn't thought anything of it then, or the days that followed, but the more she recalled the moment, the more intrigued she became. It seemed a serious topic, or, at least at one point, but Link had blown it off completely.

"So," she started, keeping her gaze on Link, hoping to catch a reaction from him when she continued. "What's the Yiga Clan?"

Link's fingers paused, but his gaze did not move off the screen. He continued the message after a moment, then slipped the phone back in his pocket. He turned his gaze to the horizon. "The Yiga Clan?"

"Yeah," Aryll said carefully. "I heard you and Kit talking about it in the hospital."

His brows furrowed. "You mean his crazy conspiracy theories?"

"I thought the Yiga Clan was real," she said. "Dad mentioned them once or twice, didn't he?"

"Yeah, the cult of losers, sure."

Aryll hesitated. "You said they were rogue Sheikah."

Link's gaze met hers. He was angry and suspicious with her. After a moment, he turned away. "They're nothing to worry about."

"I don't know," Aryll said slowly. "Rogue Sheikah sound like a big problem. What do they want? To bring Ganondorf back or something?"

Link hesitated. "There's nothing they can do to bring him back," he said. "Not without breaking Zelda's seal. And there's no way to do that without…"

"Without?" Aryll pressed.

"Without the Master Sword," he said simply. It was the truth, anyway. But he was sure that if it came down to it, they could do whatever they wanted if they had another piece of the Triforce to aid them.

"Oh." Aryll turned her gaze away. She sensed her brother was hiding something more, but she didn't press further. "Well, that's good, then. I don't want you to be a hero anymore."

"It's not exactly a job I can quit," Link muttered.

"Well, if there's no danger, then there's no need for a hero, right?"

Link shrugged. "Sure."

"You have no sword anymore, anyway," she continued. "You'd be useless."

"I don't need a sword to be useful," Link said.

Aryll glanced at the rifle on his saddle and bit her lip. "I guess," she said. "Either way, you don't stand a chance against a rogue Sheikah."

"Nope," he said with a sigh.

Aryll frowned. "Are you sure? That they're not… a problem?"

Link glanced at her. "Don't you think if we were in danger, I would have done something about it by now?"

"I guess."

"Don't listen to Kit's shit," Link said. "The war's been over for ten years. Everything's fine."

Aryll nodded. Of course she was being ridiculous. She got herself nervous over nothing. If the world was in trouble, Link would know about it. And he would fix it.

It was just after noon when they returned to the barn. Once the horses were untacked and back grazing in their paddocks, Link and Aryll turned to the task of mucking stalls and otherwise cleaning the barn for Talon. Talon moseyed into the barn a couple hours later as they were finishing up, and he had his hands on his hips as he inspected the barn with a nod.

"Guess I gotta pay ya for the day," he said gruffly. "Even though ya came in on yer day off."

"Nah," Aryll said with a grin. "I did all the work today."

"So, I gotta pay you?"

Aryll put a hand on the old man's shoulder and winked. "This one's on me since I took your horse out."

"Ah, he could use a lil' work," Talon said. "He's been gettin' fat out there on that grass all day."

"Any time," Aryll said as she dusted her hands together. "I can drive now. Link said I could take his car whenever I want."

"The actual phrase was 'over my dead body,'" he reminded her with a sly glare.

"We're still working on it," Aryll said with a nudge to Talon. "Someday."

"Guess I'll see ya this weekend?" Talon said, tipping his hat to them. "Don't work too hard there, Kid."

Aryll let her brother drive on the way home, and Link opted to stop to treat them both to ice cream sundaes before making it home for the evening. Both of their sundaes were much larger than necessary, which made up for the fact that they hadn't eaten lunch, and it seemed reasonable enough to label it as their dinner, too, as neither of them would feel hungry for the rest of the night.

When they got home, Aryll plopped herself down on the couch, letting her legs hang over one end as she lay against the couch on one side. While Link busied himself with the mail, Aryll flipped through the channels on the tv. After finding nothing of interest, she let it stay on a channel that had soap opera reruns playing and instead occupied herself with her phone.

Still, nothing on it caught her interest, and when Link finally sat beside her with a sigh, she took his phone and decided to flip through his apps.

"There's nothing weird on here, right?" she asked carefully. She opened his social media apps, and finding nothing of interest, chose to send suggestive emojis to Revali insead. She then moved on to searching the internet, particularly searching for an obscene image to plaster on Link's background. After saving to his phone a variety of images, from fat, naked men, to pink unicorns, She opened the gallery to select one to make as his new background. She scrolled through the albums in search for the images she downloaded, but a few particular albums caught her attention instead.

One album in particular seemed to have images from years ago. Some of them included Link and Mipha together, while others ranged from Link and Riju posing with laser guns and Revali flipping the camera both middle fingers. Among these were even a young Aryll, and a few of her and her father together. It seemed even then, she felt the need to steal her brother's phone and put ridiculous pictures on it.

A particular video caught her attention, and she opened the file to play it. A six year old Aryll held the phone out in front of her, making faces at herself and giggling. It shifted and moved violently as she skipped about the room. Her face returned, and her tongue stuck out at the corner of her mouth as she concentrated. The image on the screen flipped to her father leaning against the counter. He looked up from his phone and grinned.

"Stop playing with my phone," came Link's voice from somewhere off screen. The camera turned to her older brother, standing in the doorway, his brows kit together in annoyance. Aryll giggled from behind the camera and the video jolted again as she hurried out of her brother's grasp.

"Argh!" came Link's voice once more. "What the hell? Stop it!"

The video spun around, revealing Link's head in his father's arms as Rusl proceeded to dig his knuckles into his son's skull. Link squirmed in a desperate attempt to get out of his father's grasp.

"You're an immature weasel!" Link shouted.

"No evidence!" Rusl shouted, throwing his hand out in a playful attempt to block the camera. Link took advantage of his dropped stance and freed himself. He rubbed his head with his hand and frowned as Aryll giggled.

"I think he lost some brain cells," Aryll's voice said.

Rusl grinned. "How can he possibly lose any more? There's nothing in there!"

The camera dropped and Aryll giggled as her father scooped her up, and the video ended. Aryll held her gaze on it for a moment with a smile, then closed the gallery, completely forgetting her mission to plaster ridiculous images all over her brother's phone. She let it drop to the couch and sat up, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I'm glad you let me steal your phone all the time," she said. "And you kept everything."

Link had been watching her at the corner of his eyes. He turned his gaze back on the tv. "That's not true," Link said. "I deleted all the poop emoji pictures you downloaded."

Aryll grinned. "I forgot I was obsessed with those."

"You were a weird child," Link said. "It was mildly concerning."

Aryll threw a pillow at him. "That's because I grew up in a weird family."

"For the record, I was completely normal."

"Yes, because having the spirit of a hero and a magic triangle on your hand is totally normal." She rolled her eyes.

"And I still managed to barely skate by in high school," he reminded her. "Totally normal."

"Totally lazy."

"I saved the world. How does that make me lazy?"

"Is that on your resume?"

"Right between barely passed high school and college dropout," Link said dryly.

"Employers must have been throwing themselves at you." She sighed and got to her feet. "Speaking of passing high school. I do have finals next week I need to study for." She offered him a crooked smile. "Thanks for today."

"Sure." Link watched his sister leave the room. When she was gone, he trudged into the kitchen, pulling a beer from the fridge. He popped the top, tossed the bottle cap on the counter, and dropped back onto the couch to zone out in front of the tv.

Kohga stood on the cliff just outside of the hidden base, overlooking the vast, empty desert. He had heard Dorian's approach, but offered the Yiga soldier no greeting. Dorian stood a few yards away from the Yiga leader in silence, making no effort to move any closer, waiting for him to speak. And he did.

"The ward remains over the city," Kohga said. "All these years it has held strong. But I'm not surprised. Even in her aging years, Impa has remarkable abilities." He glanced over his shoulder at Dorian. "I would have preferred it if you had killed her when I asked, but I can't say I didn't understand your resilience. You've gathered a lot of intel from within the city walls. And it seems you were right, afterall. My patience has paid off." He turned to look back out over the desert. "I knew it would be next to impossible to get my hands on Zelda, but it seems Link has finally come out from the shadows, just as I hoped he would. The ward is strongest inside the city. Every time he leaves those boundaries, it grew weaker around him. My men have found him at last. We can finally get our hands on the great Chosen Hero and his little piece of the Triforce."

"Zelda will look for him," Dorian confirmed with certainty. "I cannot promise she will be alone, however."

"I am not concerned about those Champions," Kohga said, blowing him off with a wave of his hand. He looked over his shoulder at Dorian once more and grinned. "Are you?"

"Of course not."

"Good," Kohga said with a nod. "I know you will be able to finish them just as you did Rusl. They will hardly be a hindrance in our plan. It's only a matter of time before we have the Triforce in our possession. I am confident we will be able to use it to its full potential and revive Ganondorf once more. And I will have much pleasure in turning Hyrule's Heroes against them." He turned to face Dorian completely. "You have done well, Dorian. Keep up your appearances with Impa and Roham. Should anything more of note transpire, do be sure to let me know, hm?"


	9. Chapter 9

"He lives." Sera had a cup of coffee in hand and she paused beside Link's desk. She sipped at it, regarding Link over the mug, and smiled. "Thought maybe you had run off to fight some bad guys." She shrugged. "That's what I told Wally, anyway."

"It's Walt!" Walt shouted from somewhere in the office.

Sera rolled her eyes and grinned.

Link, however, had his attention on his phone at the group text he had apparently been dragged into. He spent most of the morning watching the messages silently, offering no input. Though they had all moved out of the city over the last five years and were now in various locations across Hyrule, Revali had managed to convince them to come home for a couple of weeks so they could all get together. He wasn't quite sure why Revali would be around and simply assumed he was probably brought to the city for some sort of work related thing (though he never actually knew what kind of work Revali did). But Urbosa confirmed she could get some time off to come back, mentioning that she was due for a visit with her mother and Riju, and Daruk had no boxing matchings any time soon, freeing up his schedule as well.

Mipha had hardly said much throughout the text, but when she did respond, she confirmed what she had told Link earlier - that she would be moving back home to begin a residency in the city. When it was all settled that they would each be around, they tried to make plans, but still, Link did not weigh in, and Mipha was not any more present in the conversation than he was. Revali did not hesitate to vocalizing his annoyance with them in the group messaging, stating outright that they should 'get the fuck over shit.' This brought Urbosa to their defences briefly, but not without an attempt at making them both feel guilty since they hadn't all been together in quite some time.

"Trouble in paradise?" Sera inquired.

"Mipha's moving back," Link said simply.

Sera raised a brow. "Oh? Why?"

"Got a job."

"Ah." Sera smiled. "That's nice."

Link narrowed his gaze on her. "No, it's not," he said stubbornly. "She could work anywhere she wants, but she gave up all her offers to come here."

"To be with you!"

Link pulled his gaze away, fuming quietly. "It's stupid," he muttered.

"You're such a child," Sera said with a sigh. "You two need to get together and talk things out."

"I don't think so," Link said.

"Typical man." Sera rolled her eyes. She sipped her coffee, winking at him over the brim, then left him alone at his desk.

Link turned his gaze back to his phone as more messages popped up. He dismissed them, then unlocked his phone and opened a new message, selecting one of his contacts.

drinks tonight?

It took awhile for the response to come through, but when it did, he smiled.

oh, hey. im good. thanks for asking.

miss you too.

:) i guess it has been a while. how about 8?

Link found a chance to sneak out of work early and he took it without hesitation, even getting home before Aryll, though he was sure she would be home soon after him. According to her earlier text to him, she was staying after to play catch up on the one measly day she missed. Despite her apparent rebellious stage, she was still eager to be a better student than Link was. He was relieved about that. Her good grades would help - hopefully - help land her a decent scholarship and at least give her a slight chance at being able to go to college, because there was no way in hell he would be able to help her get there.

Despite everything he had done over the years, he always knew it would never be enough to get her further in life after high school. It wasn't enough that he had been able to keep a roof over her head and keep the pizza in constant supply. He wanted more for her. More than what he ever had. But the overdue bills, the unpaid mortgage - all the opened envelopes with the red warning ink across their pages reminded him that there was nothing more he could possibly do for her.

Link didn't look up when Aryll came through the door, though she greeted him cheerfully. Torn envelopes and unfolded pieces of paper were scattered across the table, and Link had his chin in his hand, staring at them. Aryll sat in the empty chair across from him and put her own chin in her hands, her head cocked to the side slightly. Her eyes moved from the bills, to her brother, and she frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

Link gathered the papers up quickly and shook his head. He leaned back in his seat and offered her a smile. "How was school?"

Aryll rolled her eyes. "Same as it is every day."

Link nodded his head once. "Cool."

"You don't have to worry," she said with a smirk. "I get much better grades than you did."

Link stood, taking the papers with him. "Good."

Aryll's lips twisted to the side. "Want to get pizza for dinner?"

"I was thinking Ramen."

Aryll slunk back against the chair. "Ramen is what poor college kids eat."

"Good practice for your future." He tossed the bills onto the counter where he hoped he could ignore them for a little longer and turned to the fridge.

"I get to go to college?"

Link stared into the fridge longer than necessary. His first instinct was to grab a beer, but he was supposed to be going to the bar in a couple hours. "Not likely."

Aryll bit her thumb nail for a moment. "That's okay," she said. "I can just work with you on the ranch. I like the animals." She paused in thought for a moment. "I could be a vet."

"Not without a college degree," Link commented, still staring into the fridge.

"Right." She pinched her lips together. "That's okay. Why spend money on school when I can just go right to work?"

"You want to shovel shit for a living?"

"Well, when you put it that way." Aryll sighed. She stood up, hesitating as she tried to think of another conversation to have with her brother. "I heard Mipha is home."

"Hm. Yeah."

"You never told me. Are you guys going to get together?"

Link shrugged. "Probably not."

Aryll frowned. "Your face is going to freeze, Moron."

Link grabbed a beer anyway and straightened, closing the door. "We could only hope."

Aryll watched as her brother opened it and leaned against the counter. A dozen or so empties were scattered through the kitchen and living room, not yet disposed of. She sighed. "Okay. Well. I have to get started on my homework. I'll come out and make Ramen later."

Link lifted his beer towards her. "Have fun. I'm going out."

Aryll was not surprised by this, and her frown deepened. She had hoped after their day off together, things would be different, but she saw now that that was a foolish wish. Nothing would change. Certainly not overnight.

"Alright," she said simply, her lips twisting to the side. "See ya later." She turned and made her way into her bedroom, pulling out her phone and falling backwards onto her bed. She tapped on the awaiting text message from Mipha.

idk, she had said in response to Aryll's request that she come over. i dont think its a good idea.

Aryll typed back. he wont be home. hes going out.

out? came Mipha's reply.

hes hardly ever home. he goes to the bar a lot.

what do u do?

eat ramen.

ill bring pizza.

Aryll smiled. She was glad that, despite the strained relationship between Mipha and Link, Mipha still talked to her, even looked out for her. And she missed Mipha. She missed all of them.

It was earlier then eight when Link got to the bar. After Aryll had disappeared into her room, Link felt overwhelmingly alone, and he couldn't stand to be in the house a second longer than necessary. He found comfort in Kit's bar, in his usual seat in the corner, watching as Kit busied himself with his patrons while occasionally stopping by to chat casually with Link. It was promptly eight when his guest arrived, punctual as she had always been, and this brought a smile to his face as she slid into the empty seat beside him.

"You know, I can't exactly be seen getting drunk at a bar." Zelda said.

Link glanced over at her and grinned. She was wearing a pair of jeans with rips at the knee that she likely bought like that. A loose, plaid shirt hung over her delicate frame, and her blonde hair was in a ponytail which was pulled through a snapback and pulled low over her forehead, as if in an attempt to cover part of her face and keep her from being recognized.

"That's cute," he said. "Is that the new royal fashion?"

"Shut up," she muttered.

"You didn't have to come out," he said with a shrug, and he took a sip of his beer.

"I kinda did," she said. She nodded her head in greeting when Kit met her gaze. "It's not like you have any other friends around to drink with."

"I don't need friends to drink," Link said. "In fact, I am proficient at drinking alone."

"Well, well, well," Kit said as he approached their corner of the bar. He slid a beer over to Zelda. "Slumming it with the rest of us, Your Highness?"

"Hello, Kit," Zelda said with a sigh.

"It's been a while," he said with a grin. "Last time you came by, you were still just a wee little princess."

"I didn't miss you," she said dryly.

"Oh, come on, yes you did." He took Link's empty glass and replaced it. "How's life as the supreme ruler?"

"Am I a Marvel villain, now?"

Kit rolled his eyes and left them alone to tend to other patrons.

"What do you see in that guy?" she said.

Link shrugged. "He gives me beer."

"Sounds like a pretty solid friendship," Zelda said with a nod.

"I think so."

"So, is this what we're doing tonight?" she asked. "Getting trashed?"

"Isn't it what we do best?"

Zelda smiled. "It's been a long time since I sat here getting drunk with you."

"Good times."

"It's dangerous," she said.

Link regarded her at the corner of his eye. "I live for danger."

She smiled down at her beer. Before she could speak, Kit returned to them.

"So," he started. "Is this going to be one of those nights where I call you a cab and send you on your way?"

"Why not?" Zelda said. "I came here to drink, and I'm gonna do it right." She lifted her bottle at Kit in toast, then quickly finished it and set it on the counter, tapping with her fingers.

Kit grinned. "I don't get it," he said. "What sad life does the queen of Hyrule have to drink away?"

"Beer," she said simply. When Kit returned with her drink, she continued. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Yes," Kit said frankly. "Yes, I would. I am the bartender, afterall. I'm a cheap therapist for you sad sacks." He cleaned a glass absentmindedly. "I know all Link's problems."

"I'm sure you don't know them all," Zelda said. She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, I sense secrets," he said, leaning in closer to them. "Spill."

"There are no secrets," Link said in an annoyed tone.

Kit frowned. "But I wanna know," he whined.

"There's not enough alcohol in the world," Zelda said.

Kit straightened and grinned. "Challenge accepted." He moved across the bar, tending to a couple more patrons, and returned shortly after with four more bottles of beer. "Drink up!"

Zelda narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, that's what we came to do," she said.

As the night wore on, Kit continued to provide the beer, and from time to time, he brought over three shots, and the three of them toasted to whatever ridiculous ideas came to mind before taking their respected shots.

"Yer not a very good bahtendah," Zelda said as she almost slammed the shot glass down onto the counter. "Drinkin' ya own s-s-supply."

"Hey," Kit said, pointing a finger at her. "That's how the best bartenders do it."

Zelda snorted, then broke out into laughter.

"How you think 'e stays in… in, uh, in store?" Link asked.

"In business?" Kit said with a raised brow.

Link pointed at him. "Aye. Yeah. This guy's got it."

Kit rolled his eyes. "So, do I get secrets, now?" Kit said, leaning in eagerly.

Zelda sighed and nodded. "Ahright," she said. "I'll tell ya."

"This better be good," Kit said.

Link nodded. "So good."

Zelda put her palm down on the table. "Onccce upon a time." She paused to burp, then giggled. Her expression turned serious after a moment and she continued. "There was a beautiful Goddess -"

"I don't want the PBS special," Kit said. "Get to the good stuff."

"But," Zelda started with a frown. "You gotta understand the back story!"

Kit sighed. "Fine. Hit me."

"The Goddess Hylia," Zelda continued. She lowered her voice for a moment. "She was so pretty." She hiccuped, then continued. "She had to like, you know, you know Hylia, right? She had to save the world."

Kit nodded. "Uh huh, yup. Hylia and her Chosen Hero. A classic love story."

Zelda giggled. "It'ss true," she said. "They so wanna bang."

"I'm sure they did," Kit said. "Thrilling."

"But," Zelda said, holding a finger in the air. "Like. We." Her finger moved to gesture between her and Link. "We're like. Them. You know?" She pointed to her chest. "I am, like, a descendant of Hylia. Her power is, like, inside of me. She is in me."

"That's what she said," Kit said with a grin.

Zelda pointed to her head. "No, for real. She's like. Totally in there." She then pointed at Link's head. "And like, the spirit of her lover boy, is in there." She moved her finger to poke at Link's nose. Link rolled his eyes at her, but said nothing.

"That sounds pretty gay," Kit said. "He's inside you right now, isn't he, Link?"

"You're stupid," Zelda hissed at Kit. "They're totally in love with each other."

Kit raised a brow. "They are? Or you two are?"

Zelda snorted and rolled her eyes. "Goddess, no, Kit. Duh. Ew. Ugh."

"I'm flattered," Link said. "That's the kindest thing she's ever said about me."

"So, what?" Kit continued. "What's the secret?"

Zelda shrugged. "They love each other. And sometimes." She paused.

"Sometimes you feel warm and fuzzy for Link?" Kit grinned.

"Link smells," Zelda said, crossing her arms. She leaned in closer to Kit. "He has cooties."

"With all due respect, Your Highness," Kit said. "You are a complete child."

Zelda grinned.

"So, you come here to drink and silence your love for each other?"

Zelda raised her empty beer bottle at kit. "I feel warm and fuzzy. Make it stop."

Link put his head down on the counter. It felt cool against his skin. "Me too."

Kit shook his head. "You guys are so weird." But he turned to fetch them more beer. When he returned, he leaned against the counter, patting Link's head for a moment. "Silence those demons, you two crazy kids."


	10. Chapter 10

They drank some more until the bar began to empty out. It was late, but hardly late enough for Kit to close. Still, he opted to cut them off before they started to get sick all over his bar, and he called them a cab as they worked together to count out their pay. After watching them struggle to add, Kit sighed.

"Do it when you're sober tomorrow," Kit said, shooing them away. "I want the correct change. I'll add it to your tab."

"Aye aye, Capt'n," Link said, saluting him. He turned to Zelda, pulled her hat further down her forehead, then grinned. "Le's go."

"I look like a… a… one of those people."

Link pulled her outside and did his best to hold the cab door open for her. He slid in behind her and leaned forward between the two front seats. The driver moved away slightly, regarding Link warily.

"Home," Link ordered.

"I… don't know where that is," the driver said.

Link turned his gaze to Zelda. "Where's that?"

Zelda laughed.

"Is that… Queen -" The driver started, but Link cut him off abruptly, slurring out his address.

"Alrighty, then," the driver said slowly. "Please don't throw up in the car."

Link settled back against the seat with a heavy sigh. Zelda leaned against him.

"I'm gonna try really hard not to throw up," she whispered loudly to him. The driver regarded her in the rearview mirror with annoyance.

Link grinned. "That's hot."

Zelda giggled, quieting suddenly as she came to a realization. "Wait," she said. "I didn't tell him where I live. Where will he bring me?" She straightened in panic. "Where will I go? I'll be on the streets forever!"

"Shut up," Link said, pushing her. "You're coming with me."

"Oh, okay," Zelda said, feeling a sense of relief. "I thought I was homeless for a second."

Link grinned. "You are."

"Oh, no," Zelda whined. "I'm gonna live under a bridge like a troll." She settled in against Link once more and he patted her head.

"But at least you're a pretty troll," he said.

Zelda smiled. "Yeah, I am. I bet pretty trolls could get by alright."

Link nodded. "Right," he said. "Definitely."

Zelda sighed. "At least you understand," she said. "We… we're like. We're like trolls. Together. You know?"

"We're the only trolls in the whole world, probably."

Zelda nodded. "Yeah, probably." She met Link's gaze and hesitated. "Do you think -" But Link's lips were on her's suddenly, cutting her off.

She pulled away after a moment, blinking at him. But then with a shrug, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, pressing in as close as she could until he was pinned against the side of the car and they were making out.

"Get out," the driver said shortly after. "And get a damn room."

Zelda pulled back and looked out the window. They were in front of Link's house. They threw their change at the driver before scrambling out of the car. Link pulled at Zelda's wrist, leading her into the driveway, but Zelda pulled him back and their lips met once more. They stayed in their clumsy embrace as they tried to make their way toward the house, falling against the door for a moment. Link's hand searched for the doorknob as Zelda pulled at his shirt. The doorknob turned, and they both stumbled through into the dimly lit kitchen. They stumbled backwards into the table and Zelda pushed him against it, climbing on top of him and straddling him.

"Oh my Goddess," a voice said, but it didn't quite sound like Zelda's voice. They didn't stop, however, until they suddenly felt water spraying at their faces.

"Stop it!" Aryll shouted, spraying them with the hose from the sink. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Zelda yelped and tumbled off of Link. She steadied herself on her feet, then looked around them, disoriented. Her eyes landed first on Aryll, then on Mipha, who stood in shocked silence as she watched them.

"Oh my Goddess," Zelda muttered, her hand flying to cover her mouth. After a moment, she sighed, then pointed with a finger at nothing in particular. "Nice to see you, Mipha," she said. "I'm… going to go throw up now." She hurried out of the room, slamming the door behind her once she reached the bathroom.

Link moved his arm across his face in an attempt to dry himself. He sneered at his sister, then at Zelda's greeting, he turned abruptly to see Mipha. His face paled; he, too, started to feel sick to his stomach.

"Mipha." He blinked at her, then furrowed his brows. "What… Why are you here?"

"Doesn't matter," Mipha said quickly, pulling her gaze away. "I'll just… I'll go." She hurried passed Link and headed outside, her head hanging low to avoid his gaze.

Link cursed under his breath and pressed his fingers to his temple, wincing as the door slammed behind him. After letting his mind process what had just happened, he turned to hurry after her, catching her wrist outside.

"Wait," he said. She stopped, but he said nothing for a moment, his head spinning. He desperately fought against his drunken mind and body, making sure he was steady on his feet before he spoke again. "Mipha," he said softly. "I'm sorry."

Her voice shook as she spoke. "Sorry for what?" She turned her gaze away. "It's not like we're together."

Link pinched his lips together. "Look. It didn't… it doesn't… mean anything."

"You don't have to explain it to me," Mipha said. She pulled her wrist out of his grip.

"No. Wait. I do. I… it's not. It's nothing, alright?"

Mipha glanced at him. "It's not nothing."

Link sighed, frustrated and exasperated. "Why can't you just trust me when I say it's not?"

Mipha hesitated. "Because I don't understand," she said softly. "Any of it. I thought… do you love her?"

"No," Link said fiercely, then hesitated, his expression softening. "It's… complicated."

Mipha's brows furrowed. "How can it be complicated?" she said, growing angry. "You either love her or you don't."

"I don't," he said.

"Then what's going on?" Mipha said angrily.

"You wouldn't understand," Link said, pulling his gaze away.

"What is there to understand?" she said. "It seems pretty clear what you guys have been doing."

"Well, so what?" Link snapped. "We're not together, remember?"

Mipha hesitated. She could hardly breathe thanks to the hard lump that had formed in her throat. She blinked back her tears as best as she could. "Is that why we're not together?" she asked. "Please, just tell me the truth."

"There's nothing to tell," Link said.

"Then why?" Mipha begged.

"Because she was there," Link snapped again. "Everyone else was gone, but she was there."

"Link," she said softly. "I… I've been here. You were the one that ended it. You were the one that pushed me away. Goddess, what the fuck do you want from me? Nothing I do is good enough for you."

Link turned away from her. "Nothing," he said simply. "I don't want anything from you."

Mipha hesitated. "Fine," she said. "I'm sorry I interrupted your life."

The door opened, catching their attention, and Zelda steadied herself against the frame. She frowned. "I guess I should… go." She hiccuped, then clumsily pulled her phone out of her back pocket. "Don't mind me. I'll just… get a ride."

"Don't worry about it," Mipha sneered. "I was leaving."

"No, no," Zelda said. "You… you two. You gotta. You two. You know?"

Mipha stared blankly at Zelda. "What?"

Zelda sighed loudly and shook her head. "It was just stupid," she muttered. "Nothing happened, okay?"

Mipha pulled her gaze away and moved toward her car. Without another word, she left them alone in the driveway. When she was gone, Link stepped around Zelda and back into the house. Zelda chased after him.

"Wh-why didn't you stop her?"

"'Cuz," he said simply. "She's better off."

"Goddesses, Link. Will you just stop saying that?"

Link turned his attention to Aryll. Her brows were furrowed angrily as she started at them both.

"What the fuck is this?" She barked. "How… how long has this been going on?"

"Nothing's going on," Zelda insisted when Link gave no response.

Aryll's helpless gaze turned to her brother. "I thought…"

"What?" Link sneered. "That you could push us together and think everything would go back to the way they were? Wake up, Aryll. You're not six years old anymore. Nothing is going to be the fucking same."

Aryll's mouth hung open at her brother's outburst.

"I'll just… wait for my ride outside," Zelda said quickly, stepping outside and closing the door behind her.

"I know you didn't choose this life," Link said, quieter this time. "But the sooner you accept that this is your fucked up life, the better off you'll be."

Aryll's gaze turned angry once more. "What? Like you? I should just give up and accept this shit the way it is and do nothing to change it? To make it better?"

He cursed loudly. He was fucking up, yet again. Every time he opened his damn mouth. So, instead, he kept it closed, and left Aryll alone in the dark living room.

He made his way upstairs and into his room where dropped onto his bed, his face in his pillow. He groaned loudly into it. After a moment, he moved to the edge of the bed, pulling the trash can up to his face, and vomited. When he was finished, he moved slowly onto his back, his arm against his head, and he closed his eyes.

He stayed there motionless for the rest of the night. Sleep came and went in spurts, but it wasn't anything he wasn't used to. He hardly slept at all. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he got more than a couple hours of restful sleep. Whenever he did manage to fall asleep, his mind was riddled with nightmares that always jerked him back awake. More often than not, he woke up sweating, trembling, and other times sobbing. Some of the dreams seemed to disappear the moment he woke, while others stayed with him, haunting him for days and weeks on end.

He slept as little as possible for that very reason. It was why he occupied his nights at the bar with kit, or simply drinking at home. More often than not, he found that if he drank enough, he would pass out long enough to catch a couple of silent hours of sleep. That, mixed with a cold shower in the mornings, seemed to be just enough to get him through another day. It had become his routine over the last few years. It certainly wasn't an ideal routine, but at least it worked.

He was already awake when his alarm went off, and he dragged himself out of bed, trudging down the hall into the bathroom. Once he was showered and dressed, he checked in on Aryll, but her bedroom was empty, as was the rest of the house. He assumed she had already left for school, so he locked up and made his way into work.

"You look like shit," Sera noted as he dropped into his chair at his desk. She was waiting for him with a cup of coffee, and he took it eagerly.

"I mean, more shitty than usual," she added, and Link grunted. Sera frowned. "What's going on?"

"Same shit as every day," he muttered. He stared at the dark computer monitor. He was not in the mood to talk to Sera.

"You're worrying me," she said. "You look like actual death."

"Can we not do this?"

Sera bit her lower lip, then shrugged. "Alright," she said. "Sorry. I'll leave you alone." She lingered a moment longer before actually leaving Link alone at his desk.

Link sighed softly and pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was throbbing. It was going to be a very long day.

Sera didn't bother him for the rest of the day. He couldn't help but to feel guilty, but the last thing he needed was her breathing down his neck, trying to make his life better. When the end of the day came, Sera left without a word to him. He opted to hide behind his desk later than necessary, in no real hurry to go home, or anywhere for that matter. But when six came around, he gathered up his things and hurried outside, making his way briskly toward the bar. He slid into his seat just as Kit slid over a beer, not a word or a glance exchanged between them. Kit could usually sense when he was not up for talking (not that he said much, anyway) and left Link alone for the first couple of hours.

It was just after eight when Kit found a lull in his duties as bartender. He pulled a stool up to his side of the bar, sitting across from Link with his own beer. He leaned forward slightly until the stool was balanced on its front two legs and sighed, bringing the bottle to his lips.

"Are you here to pay me back for last night?" Kit said with a grin. When Link made no effort to respond, he frowned. He picked at the label on his bottle. "I guess everyone got home alright?"

"I fucked up."

Kit looked up at Link, but Link was staring at the counter. "Hm?"

"Mipha was there."

Kit's brows furrowed slightly. He was putting the pieces together. "You and Zelda, then?"

"Nothing happened," Link growled.

"This time."

Link met Kit's gaze. "I told her not to come back here," he said. "If she had just listened to me -"

Kit let the stool fall back on all four legs and stood. "Enough," he hissed. "Didn't I ban you ass from here, anyway?"

"And here I am." He was already several beers in, and he waved his empty bottle at Kit.

Kit snatched it from him, tossing it into a bin, but made no effort to get him another one. "I don't think so."

Link frowned. "Dude. Come on. I've had a long day."

"You have a problem," Kit said simply.

"I do not," Link hissed. He sighed. "Come on, man. One more so I can just go home and sleep."

Kit walked away from him, leaving Link alone at the bar to tend to the other patrons. Link didn't move from his seat for another hour, staring into space until Kit returned.

"I'm exhausted," Link said softly. "I'm done. I've got nothing left. I can't be here anymore."

"Stop it," Kit snapped. "You have Aryll. And you're all she has left. You're not fucking going anywhere, alright?"

"I can't," he whispered. "I don't… I don't want to."

Kit moved to the other side of the bar, gripping Link's shoulder and pulling him away. He pushed Link outside into the cool night. He couldn't quite close up yet, but he knew Link needed to get home. "Give me your phone."

Link sighed and leaned against the building. He slid down until he was sitting on the ground, staring out into the street. "I can't do it anymore, Kit," he said. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands.

Kit frowned down at Link, concern in his eyes. He sat beside him and, with a sigh, reached his hand into Link's pocket, pulling out his phone. "Don't get any ideas," Kit muttered. "I'm not into dick."

But Link made no response. Kit took his phone and scrolled through his call list. To his surprise, Revali was at the top of the list, but he did recall Link mentioning something about him coming back to the city. He opted to try the number, despite the late hour, and Revali answered almost immediately.

"Dude," he shouted into the phone. "What are you doing, idiot?"

"Hey, it's Kit," Kit said quickly.

"Oh, yo. What's going on?"

Kit turned to Link, still sitting and staring at the ground. "Are you around?" He could hear the frown in Revali's voice.

"Yeah, I am. What's wrong?"

"I can't babysit tonight," he said. "Can you come get your boy?"

Revali did no hesitate. "On my way."


	11. Chapter 11

It took almost a half an hour for Revali to get to the bar. He pulled the car to the curb and stepped out. He looked down at Link with a frown and shook his head. "The tables have turned," he said. "Guess I did owe ya one." When Link didn't respond, he reached down and grabbed his arm, pulling him up to his feet.

"Let's go. Get in." He pushed Link toward the car.

"Keep an eye on him," Kit said. "He's not okay."

"I've got two," Revali said, turning to Kit.

Kit frowned. "I'm serious."

Revali met his gaze. "So am I."

Kit nodded once. "Don't let him do anything stupid, alright?" He hesitated, turning his gaze to the car. "Keep him away from pill bottles."

Revali nodded silently. They shook and he thanked him before sliding in behind the wheel, pulling into the street and navigating the city. He glanced over at Link briefly before speaking.

"Are we gonna talk about this?"

Link gave no response. His arms were folded across his chest, his head against the seat as he gazed out the window.

"Yes," Revali said simply. "Yes, we're talking about this."

"There's nothing to talk about," Link muttered.

Revali's brows furrowed. "So, why does Kit think you're going to kill yourself?"

Link didn't respond. Revali slammed on the breaks at a red light and sneered at him.

"This isn't fucking funny!" he shouted at Link.

Link met Revali's gaze wordlessly.

Revali's gaze softened. "Come on, man." He turned his gaze back out the windshield as the light turned green. "You can't do this shit. You know that."

"You're right," Link said. "I can't do anything I want to do, because I always have to do something for someone else."

"You're being an idiot," Revali muttered. "Being dead doesn't do anyone any good. Especially Aryll and Mipha. You can't do that to them."

Link's brows furrowed. "I know." Revali was right, after all. He couldn't do that to them. He wouldn't. But at the same time, it didn't seem fair. It seemed his whole purpose in life was to do what everyone else needed. Not once did he ever have a chance to do what he wanted. "Everyone else got to leave," Link said softly. "Everyone got to do what they wanted. And I had to stay here. I had to give up what I wanted to take care of everyone else's shit." His voice hardened as he grew angry. "I save the world, and for what? To get left behind?"

Revali frowned. "You could have -"

"Could have what?" Link snapped. "What should I have done? Sold the house? Pawned her off on someone else? There was nothing I could have done. I had to stay home to take care of Aryll. I had to be a parent. I had to be a fucking adult with a mortgage and bills and two jobs and it still isn't enough."

Revali's brows knit together. "So, you're mad because everyone else got to live their lives?"

Link's expression softened. When Revali said it out loud, it sounded petty. He knew that. But it didn't change anything. "I'm mad because… this wasn't what was supposed to happen. I didn't want to be stuck here like this. Everyone got to escape but me. Now…" His voice trailed off. "I just wanted one thing I could control. One change I could make. I wanted my escape." He sighed softly. "I don't expect anyone to give up their lives like I had to do. That's not what I wanted. Mipha already has. I don't want that."

"What do you want?" he asked. "Because now you're starting to contradict yourself."

"I don't know," Link muttered.

Revali's lips pinched together. "Alright," he started. "I get it."

Link glanced at him.

"So, here's what you do," he continued. "Stop trying to be the damn hero. The way I see it, the only one who needs saving is you. And you're not letting anyone do it. It's not your fucking job anymore, alright? So just give it a fucking rest already."

Link's brows furrowed. "Is this a joke? Are you and Kit stealing each other's notes or something?"

Revali's gaze flashed to his. "Huh?"

"I've heard that twice already," Link muttered.

"Well, then maybe that fucking means something," Revali said in an obvious tone. "Goddesses, you're dense."

Link sighed. "That's easier said than done."

"You're not getting your one way ticket out of here," Revali growled. "Sorry, pal. It's not happening. Not while I have something to do about it. Besides, you're not a quitter, Link. If there's one thing I know, you're too damn stubborn to give up."

"So, what?"

"So." Revali sucked in a breath. "So, what? What do you want? Don't think of what you need to do, or what you think the world wants. What do you want?"

Link thought about this for a moment. He realized then that he didn't know what he wanted. He was so busy doing everything he thought he had to do that he lost sight of what he wanted. And what he wanted was Mipha.

"I want Mipha back," he said softly.

Revali smiled. "What else?"

Link glanced at him. He thought further. "A dog."

Revali shrugged. "Alright. Sure. A dog. What else?"

"A new job," Link muttered.

Revali grinned. "That all seems pretty doable, dude."

He hated to admit it, but Revali seemed to have a point. Though, a part of him felt angry at Revali for pointing these things out, as if he were just an idiot that couldn't see the bigger picture. Still. The more he thought of it, the more he wanted it all, and the worse he felt for wanting to give up. In truth, he cycled through these various emotions so quickly that he didn't really feel any better, but just confused. And still, his heart was hurting. Hurting for all the ways he seemed to be fucking up. For the terrible life he was giving his sister. For giving up on Mipha. And in the midst of it all, he just wanted his father back.

Link realized only then that he was crying.

"Man, no, what?" Revali frowned. "I thought we were making progress."

Link sighed and slumped back in his seat. "I'm tired."

Revali nodded. "One day at a time," he said. "One issue at a time."

"Where do I start?"

"Where do you want to start?"

Link hesitated, then pulled a ring box out of his pocket. He opened it and examined his mother's ring. "Mipha," he said simply.

"You have a ways to go before you can do that," Revali pointed out, but he was smiling smugly.

"Yeah," Link said with a sigh.

"This weekend," Revali said. "We're getting together. You can start then."

Link hesitated. He was eager to see his friends again. But he wanted to make things right with Mipha as soon as he could. He was ready to stop being the hero. He just wanted to live his life.

Aryll was already in bed when Revali and Link got to the house. The house was dark, but Link didn't bother turn any lights on. He headed straight for the couch, letting himself fall against it with a heavy sigh. Revali joined him, kicking his feet up.

"Don't get any ideas," he said. "No making moves on me in the dark."

"You can leave," Link said. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Agree to disagree," Revali said. "I canceled all my plans for you. I'm staying."

Link snorted. "Like you had plans."

"I always have plans," Revali said. "But my best friend is more important."

"When did that happen?"

"When I decided I could ride your coattails into fame."

"How's that working for ya?"

Revali frowned. "Not as well as I'd hoped," he said. "I thought we'd be knee deep in babes and cold hard cash." He shrugged. "Well, I am, anyway, but I had to do that all on my own."

"You must have it so hard," Link said, rolling his eyes.

"Eh, I'm doing alright, all things considered."

"Good for you," he muttered.

"Have you given up on milking the hero bit?"

"No," Link said dryly. "You haven't noticed all the babes running around my mansion?"

Revali grinned. "You almost have me beat."

"Don't worry," Link muttered. "The bank will be kicking us out any day now."

His grin faded. "You know we're here for you," Revali said. "You're not alone."

"I kind of am," Link said. "Besides. I don't need anyone's charity."

"It's not charity," Revali said, his brows knit together. "You're allowed to ask for help."

Link sighed. "Yeah, I know," he said. "I just wanted to keep it all together until Aryll graduated."

"My company's opening an office here," Revali said with a smug grin. "They sent me here to finalize the plans. I'm running that bitch. But, I don't have an apartment set up yet."

"You're not living here," Link said.

"Aw, come on," Revali whined. "You need money. I've got it."

"All the money in the world wouldn't be enough for me to live with your ass."

"A thousand," Revali said. "I'll sleep on the floor in the basement. I'm hardly around, anyway."

Link raised a brow. "You would pay that much for a room with a concrete floor that you'll spend no time in?"

"Assuming I can bring chicks."

Link opened his palm. "Let's see it, big shot."

Revali shrugged and pulled out his wallet. He then proceeded to count out the money, his smug grin returning.

"What the fuck do you do? You just carry around this much money on a daily basis?"

"Don't worry about what I do," Revali said. "I'll be hiring in our new office. Interested?"

Link regarded Revali with hesitation. "Doing what, exactly?" he asked carefully.

"Those details are on a need to know basis," Revali said.

"Don't I need to know the job?"

"You do your job as I tell you to do it."

Link raised a skeptical brow. "That sounds shady."

"That's why I'm hiring Urbosa as my lawyer."

"What the fuck do -"

"Don't worry about what I do! For the love of Hylia. The less you know, the better."

"Uh-uh," Link said, shaking his head. "I'm not getting involved in your shady ass business."

"Name your price. Salary. Paid sick time, personal time. Four weeks vacation. All holidays. Company car. Paid mileage."

"You can't do that," Link muttered.

Revali grinned. "What'll it cost? Fifty big ones?"

"Fifty?" Link said slowly.

"Sixty? Seventy?"

"You're insane."

"Eighty?"

"Is this a joke?"

"The money is no issue. Top dollar. And most of the shit you'll be doing, you won't even know about. And if something goes wrong, we've got Urbosa."

"Are you a hitman?" Link whispered.

"Please," Revali said, though he pause to consider this for a moment, scratching at his chin. "I would be so good at that, though. I've got that whole Matrix thing going for me, yanno?" He smirked at Link. "You, on the other hand…"

Link crossed his arms and turned his gaze to the tv. "Right."

"So, think about it?"

Link sighed through his nose. "Sure. I'll think about it."

"Good," Revali said with a nod. "Then you'll be able to actually afford a ring for Mipha instead of giving her hand-me-downs."

Link frowned. "Aryll says it's romantic."

Revali laughed sharply. "Right," he said. "Nerd."

"Can I go to bed now?"

"Sure. We spooning? Or is that reserved for Daruk?"

"I… what? We don't spoon!"

"I have pictures that say otherwise," he said with a snicker. "And one of you in an adorable little skirt."

Link groaned loudly. He pressed a pillow to his face. "End me."

"Not today, man."

Link let the pillow fall onto his lap with a sigh. After a moment, he propped it up against the couch and lay across it, letting his feet stretch out to kick Revali.

"What are you doing, idiot?"

"Going to bed," Link said with a yawn. "I have a feeling you won't let me be alone in my own room."

"Two eyes," Revali said. "I promised your boyfriend."

"Hmph." He closed his eyes and groaned when he felt Revali drape a blanket over him.

"Do you want a bedtime story, too? Some warm milk?"

"Bite me," Link muttered. When Revali didn't tease him further, he let his mind quiet as he listened to the tv, and eventually, quite unexpectedly, sleep came to him.


	12. Chapter 12

Link was jolted awake when a pillow flew at his face. He grunted, blinked groggily, then turned his gaze to Revali, who was leaning over the back of the couch.

"Aryll says get the fuck up."

Link's brows furrowed in confusion. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. "What? What time is it?"

"Half past a monkey's ass," Revali said boisterously. From somewhere in the kitchen, Link could hear Aryll giggle.

"What's your deal?" Revali said, checking his watch. "You going to work?"

"Huh? Work? Sure."

"Shit, man, is this how you are every morning?"

"No," Link grumbled. "I don't usually get this much sleep."

Revali frowned, but turned away from him to join Aryll in the kitchen, leaving Link to find the strength to get off the couch. His body ached from not being in his bed, but it wasn't anything he wasn't used to.

"I bought coffee," Revali called over to him.

"You're a good wife," Link said as he finally got off the couch. He scratched at his head, his chin, then shuffled into the kitchen, snatching the cup from Revali. He watched as Aryll shoved books in her bag.

"Are you mad at me?"

Aryll looked up at her brother. She bit her lower lip. "Mad? Why would I be mad? If you want to fuck Hyrule's queen, go for it."

Revali spun on his heels to look at Link, his face a mixture of surprise and pride. "Dude!" He held a hand up, but Link brushed him off. "When did this happen?"

"The other night," Aryll said. "They came falling through the door drunk and practically banged on the table."

Link put a hand to his forehead. His head was throbbing. "Aryll -"

"Right in front of me and Mipha," she added coolly.

Revali frowned. "Dude."

"I didn't know she was there," Link hissed. He turned to Aryll. "Why was she there?"

"I invited her," Aryll said, narrowing her gaze on her brother. She swung her bag on her shoulder and was moving toward the door.

"You're trying to force us together."

"Who isn't?" Revali said. "I thought you were going to get back with her? You were all for it last night."

Link hesitated. He looked down at his coffee, then took a long sip. "I dunno."

"No. Uh-uh. I don't think so. We're not going down this road again."

"Revali," Link warned.

"I'm not pulling you out of that damn pit again."

"Revali."

"I mean, yeah, I will, but that's emotionally exhausting. Can't we just… skip to the part where you're freaking happy again and not about to kill yourself?"

"Revali!"

Revali's mouth snapped shut. He followed Link's gaze to Aryll. She had her bag on one shoulder, standing by the door. Her face was pale as she regarded her brother, then pulled her gaze away.

"Is that why you're here?" she muttered.

Revali hesitated. "No?"

Aryll stared down at her feet. Without another word, she pushed the door open and stumbled outside.

"Link -" Revali started, but Link was already chasing his sister out the door.

Outside, Link pulled at Aryll's wrist, and she turned to her brother immediately sobbing against him. He wrapped his arms around her.

"It's fine," he said in a desperate attempt to calm her. "Aryll… I'm sorry. It's fine. Okay?"

"It's not fine," she sobbed. "You can't do that, Link!"

"I know!" He hesitated. "I promise, Ary. I won't. Okay? It was just… It was stupid. I got drunk and it was stupid."

Aryll, however, was unconvinced, though her crying quieted for a moment. She pushed herself away and met Link's gaze. "How can I believe you?" she asked softly. "How can I trust you won't?"

"I don't know," he admitted regretfully. "I'm sorry, Ary. What do you want me to do?"

Aryll hesitated. She pulled her gaze away. "I just… I want things to be okay." In truth, she wanted her brother to stop drinking. She wanted him to get back with Mipha. She wanted her father back. She wanted things to be just as they were ten years ago.

"I'm trying," Link said.

"Yeah," Aryll started. "Yeah, I know. I know it's not easy for you. I know everything, Link. I know why you don't sleep. I know drinking helps. I just… I wish things were different."

"Me too."

Aryll cleared her throat. "You should stay home today."

"Why? So Revali can babysit me some more?"

"Yeah, maybe. And," she shrugged, "just 'cuz you need a day off."

"Are you going to be okay?"

Aryll nodded. She wiped her hand across her eyes. "Yeah. As long as you're here."

Link pulled her into another hug. "I promise."

"I believe you." She pulled away and offered him a smile. "See ya."

Link watched her leave, walking down the road until she turned the corner. Revali stepped out behind him, his face ridden with guilt.

"I'm so -"

Link stepped passed him and towards the car.

"Where are you going?"

"Getting Mipha back."

Revali watched as Link peeled out of the driveway. "Alright, well, I'll just, hang out here, then, I guess."

Link was leaning against his car in the parking lot behind the hospital when Mipha found him. She was in the middle of her rounds when he texted her. He waited almost an hour before she had a chance to break away from her work and meet him outside, still in her scrubs. She was hesitant when he texted and at first told him to leave her alone, but he was persistent, and despite all that had transpired, Link hadn't seemed that eager to see her in a long time, and that gave her hope.

Still, it didn't make things any less awkward when she stood before him, meeting his gaze. Neither of them spoke for a moment. It was Mipha who finally broke the silence.

"So?" she started, her voice soft. Her heart raced in her chest. "What's so important?"

Link frowned. "I wanted to apologize," he started. "For everything."

Mipha held her gaze on him, quiet for a moment. "Why now?"

"Because I almost gave up." He broke her gaze. "I did give up. On so much. I thought… I thought I was doing the right thing."

Mipha's brows furrowed. "I… why? How?"

"I didn't want to hold you back," he explained. "After Dad died… you gave up so much for us. I didn't want that. I wanted you to live your life. I wanted you to be happy. And I knew I wasn't going to be able to do that for you." He hesitated. "I couldn't drag you down with me."

"Link…" She sighed in exasperation. "Goddesses, you are such an idiot. You don't have to do anything for anyone. Not anymore, and especially not me. You don't need to sacrifice what you want so other people will be happy. You need to get out of that mindset. You're allowed to be happy. You're not the hero anymore!"

Link met her gaze. His brows furrowed. "You're right. I'm not. I was nothing until I was a hero, and now that I'm not that anymore, I'm back to being nothing."

"That's not true," Mipha said desperately. "You can be whatever you want to be. You can do whatever you want to do. You don't have to give that up for anyone."

"I do for Aryll," he said. "As long as she's here, she needs me. I can't leave her alone. I'm all she has left. She needs to be here, and as long as she needs to be here, I need to be here."

"Then let me be here, too. Don't push me away. Don't make my decisions for me." She paused. "The world may have needed a hero, but I don't. I don't need saving." She emphasized the last part, her teeth gritting together. She held her gaze on him another moment before continuing, her jaw relaxing. "We've always been in each other's lives. There was never a moment where you weren't in my life. And I never want to think of a life without you." She hesitated and broke her gaze, looking at the ground.

"Can you… can you really live a life without me?"

Link didn't say anything for a long moment. Mipha glanced back up at him, meeting his gaze.

"I don't want to," he finally said, his voice soft. "But -"

Mipha put her hands on his chest and pressed her lips against his, cutting him off before he could continue to argue with her. After a moment, he relaxed against her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Will you let me be here for you?" she asked softly after breaking apart slightly. "We can get through this together. You don't have to be alone."

"I fucked up," he said, lowering his gaze. "How can you forgive me for that?"

Mipha hesitated. "You said it meant nothing. I believe you. I love you, Link. That has never changed, even for a moment." She pulled his chin to her and kissed him once more.

"I'm so sorry, Mipha," he whispered against her. "I love you." Despite years of trying to smother his feelings for her, they fire ignited within him once more. For the first time for as long as he could remember, he felt happy. Enthralled, even. Because despite all the bullshit he put her through, she was apparently just as stubborn as he was. For some reason, she wanted to be in his life, and in that moment, he vowed never to let her go again.

She found it difficult to pull herself away from him when he seemed to need her so badly. She had briefly considered leaving work early, but thought better of it, not wanting him to feel as if he were a burden to her. After a few more moments in his arms, she worked up enough strength to pull herself away. After promising to call after her shift, she returned to work, and Link returned home.

Revali was still at the house when Link got back, and he seemed relieved to see him.

"For the love of Hylia," he said, helping himself to a beer. "Kit would have killed me if he knew I let you out of my sight. Where the fuck did you go?"

"I told you," Link said simply.

He raised a brow at Link. "Did she take you back?"

"For all those years in school, she's a complete idiot."

Revali's shoulders relaxed and he grinned. "Son of a bitch. She is an idiot. She deserves way better than you."

Link glanced at the fridge for a moment, then opted to drop onto the couch instead. "That's not news to me."

He finished his beer quickly, then tossed it before joining Link on the couch.

"Don't you have a business to run or something?"

Revali shrugged. "It can wait until tomorrow." He frowned. "Or are you sick of my presence?"

"A little bit," Link said, but he shrugged. "But only a little."

Revali smiled. "Good. It wouldn't be the same if we didn't hate each other a little bit."

"Don't worry," Link said. "There's plenty of hatred."

"And I was just thinking about how far our friendship has come," Revali said.


	13. Chapter 13

Revali didn't leave until Aryll got home from school, and it wasn't without him raiding Link's fridge of most of his beer as 'payment for babysitting.' Link didn't argue with him, and in fact, felt a sense of relief to know that there was less beer in there, which meant less of a temptation for him. Of course, nothing was stopping him from going out and restocking, but the idea didn't really cross his mind as he was too anxious to see Mipha again.

At some point during the day, Kit had called to check up on him, making Link vow to never show his 'ugly mug' in his bar again. He seemed satisfied with Link's promise, even going so far to promise not to serve him if he ever stumbled in again.

Aryll seemed genuinely relieved to see her brother when she got home, but otherwise, she said nothing about their interaction that morning. All in all, she appeared to be in a good mood, humming to herself in the kitchen as she made them both peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

It was then when Mipha poked her head into the kitchen. She stepped in and rolled her eyes at them as they turned to her from the couch. There was a box in her hands.

"Is this what your diet consists of?" she said with a frown. "Are you ten?"

Aryll bit into her dinner with a grin. "And pizza," she said as she chewed. She took a moment to swallow before speaking again, looking between her and Link. "What are you doing here?"

She raised the box and sighed. "Pizza."

Aryll threw herself over the couch excitedly. "It's a good diet," she said. "I've got all my nutrients." She took the pizza from Mipha, setting it on the table and taking a slice. "So," she started slowly between bites. "Are you guys back together or something?"

Mipha hesitated. She turned her gaze to Link, who was letting his arms dangle over the edge of the couch. He pointed at his sister.

"Pizza."

"Get off your ass and get it yourself," she sneered at him. She made a dramatic display of shoving her own pizza into her mouth before turning back to Mipha. "Yeah?"

Link sighed and dragged his feet across the room, but before he could grab a slice, Mipha pulled the box away with a sly smile.

"That depends," she said.

"Gimme," Link said simply.

Aryll looked between them, her brow raised. "Depends on what?"

"How badly he wants pizza," Mipha said, grinning.

"An interesting ultimatum," Aryll said, her hand on her chin. "But do you really want to force him to be with you for pizza?"

"I'll take what I can get."

"That's a terrible relationship." Link grabbed the box from her and yanked it out of her hands. He took a slice and immediately shoved it in his mouth. "But I accept your proposition."

"Congratulations," Aryll said dryly. "You're stuck with him, you know. He's your problem now."

"It was much more romantic the first time," Mipha said.

"You conned me for pizza," Link reminded her. "How is that romantic?"

"Should I get on one knee and offer you another slice?"

Link grinned. "That's all I've ever wanted."

Mipha sighed. She took a slice, got on one knee, and shook her head. "This is what my life has come to, apparently."

"That's so sweet," Link said. He took the slice from her and pulled her back to her feet, planting a kiss on her lips. He pulled away quickly to devour his next slice.

"Did you miss that?" Aryll said, rolling her eyes. "Did you really, honestly miss this idiot's bullshit?"

"Love makes you do weird shit," Mipha said.

"Well." Aryll picked up her bag from the corner of the room and swung it on her shoulder. "You guys have fun being weird. I have finals to study for."

When she heard Aryll's door close, Mipha pulled Link toward her, kissing him once more, but after a moment, he pulled away.

"You know the rule," he said. "Pizza first. Sex later."

Mipha rolled her eyes. "It's like nothing ever changed," she said with a dramatic sigh. "Honestly. Who puts pizza before sex?"

"You've had pizza, right?"

Mipha cocked a brow. "You've had sex, right?"

Link paused to consider this for a moment. "They're comparable."

"Well, see if I give you pizza or sex ever again."

Link frowned. "That's cruel. You're a monster."

"You know," she started. "We've never had makeup sex."

Link's eyes widened. "I've heard incredible stories about that," he said. "I thought they were just fairytales."

Mipha smiled. "You sure you want to pass that up?"

Link look towards the pizza, then back to her. "I guess I can have pizza any day."

Mipha grinned. "You're an idiot." She took his hand. "Come on," she said. "I have a tiny apartment with a shared wall that doesn't have your sister on the other side."

"Good plan."

The rest of the week went without further incident. Link fell back into his usual routine at work, and though he originally found it dull, he came to appreciate the normality of it all, especially considering the depression he had fallen into. For once, life felt almost normal again. Though he was still working two jobs and barely keeping up payments on the house, the world felt right again. The weight of his responsibilities didn't feel so heavy. A part of him knew the feeling would likely not last long, but he wanted to enjoy his moment of happiness for as long as he could. He wanted to forget his worries for as long as life would allow him. Mipha was back in his life, his friends were coming back to the city, and everything felt the way it should.

When Saturday finally came, he found himself in the company of his friends, standing around the firepit in the backyard as the first stars of twilight began to show themselves. Aryll was speaking excitedly with Mipha and Urbosa on one side, while on the other side, Revali passed out cigars to Link and Daruk.

" Well, here we are," he said with a sigh as he blew out smoke. "The boys are back in town."

"I heard you're sticking around," Daruk said. "I didn't know you were so in love with Link."

"What can I say?" Revali said. "The heart wants what the heart wants."

"He's in the mafia or something," Link said. "He's here on business to bust some kneecaps."

Daruk raised a brow. "For real?"

"He tried to drag me into it," Link continued with a nod. "I think he might be considering blackmail."

"Why does everyone assume I'm doing something shady?" Revali whined.

"Because you won't tell anyone what you do for a damn living," Daruk said.

Revali grinned and brought his cigar to his mouth. "The less you know, the better."

"He's working for the Yiga Clan," Link said. "I'm sure of it."

"It makes sense," Daruk said thoughtfully. "Getting some dirt on you. Trying to lure you into their trap."

"Please," Revali said. "What would they want with that dirtbag?"

"Oh, I don't know," Daruk said dryly. "Maybe the Triforce?"

Revali considered this. "Wait. Let's be real for a second."

"We weren't?" Link muttered.

"That's a totally plausible explanation," Revali continued.

Daruk raised a brow. "That you're working for the Yiga?"

"No, no," Revali said quickly, waving them off. "No, I mean. The Yiga were once Sheikah. They're followers of Ganondorf. So, wouldn't that be their main directive? Get the Triforce and bust Ganondorf out of his seal."

"This is true," Daruk said. "But, we've also never encountered them, even when we were running around Hyrule closing portals." He shrugged. "Maybe they're really not a threat."

Revali shook his head. "I don't buy it," he said. "Dorian and Rusl had beef, remember? Dorian's up to something. Maybe he's keeping things quiet."

Link stared into the flames. "I thought we agreed not to worry about the Yiga Clan?" he muttered.

"How about the Termina festival, then?" Revali pressed. "King Roham kept that real nice and quiet. Come on, Link, your father -"

"Enough," Link snapped at him. He hesitated as Revali fell silent. He turned his gaze back to the fire. "I told him I would stay out of it," he said softly. "Zelda's convinced Dorian is innocent. I promised her I would drop all of it."

"You sound like a conspiracy theorist," Daruk said to Revali. "Link's right. If they were an issue, they would be an issue by now. They wouldn't be silent for ten years. They would actually be relevant."

Revali didn't press the matter further, mainly due to the fact that he did not want to upset Link any further. While he had not originally meant it to be a serious accusation, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy it made him. Still, he pushed those thoughts aside and changed the topic.

"So, are you gonna work for me or not?"

"Not," Link said.

"Why not?" Revali whined.

"I have absolutely no skills worthy of any job," Link said. "The fuck do you want me for? I don't need the pity party."

"Dude. I'm making you work for this money. There's no pity party."

"All the money in the world -"

"One hundred," he said quickly. "One-double-oh."

"Dude," Daruk said. "Take it and run."

"I'll be running for my life," Link said. "He won't even tell me what the damn job is."

"Fine," Revali said. "Look. All I need from you is your signature. Sign the papers I give you, and that's it. Literally all you need to do. You can sit in a big fancy office all to yourself for eight hours a day, sign some papers, and go home to bed on your pile of cash."

Link stared at him for a moment, then narrowed his gaze. "Signing what?"

"Documents," Revali said. "You just sign them. Don't read. Just sign."

"What the fuck…" Daruk murmured under his breath.

"That's shady as fuck, man," Link said.

"And that's why we have lawyers," Revali said with a grin. "To cover our asses."

"Hylia, I don't even want to know," Link said, shaking his head. "Leave me out of your shady ass business."

Revali shrugged. "You'll come around sooner or later," he said. He winked at him. "They always do."

"Don't do it, Link," Urbosa said, shaking her head as she caught the end of their conversation. "I won't let you."

Mipha frowned. "Do what?"

"Work for Revali," Urbosa said, placing a hand on her hip. "I checked the contract you'd have to sign. You'd be lucky if you only had to give up your left nut."

"That's my favorite one," Link said with a playful pout.

"Who really reads contracts, anyway?" Revali muttered.

"I do," Urbosa said. "That's my job."

"Hey, you're my lawyer, not Link's."

"Free advice," Urbosa said, turning her attention to Link. "Don't do it."

"Why you gotta ruin everything for me, woman?" Revali barked at her.

Urbosa grinned. "Why do you need to be working for such a shady company?"

"Because they know how to pay."

"Revali, you could go to jail."

Revali waved her off. "They keep me protected."

"Come on," Daruk pressed. "You gotta give us more than that."

"Alright, alright," Revali said. His voice lowered and he looked between his friends as if he were about to reveal kingdom secrets. "My company is the largest company in the industry of producing energy, to put it simply. They do everything from oil to gas to solar and other various clean energies." He air quoted this last part.

The group was silent for a moment, staring at him.

"That's… that's it?" Daruk raised an unconvinced brow.

"That's it," Revali said simply.

"That's it on paper," Urbosa said. "But what they do in the dark is a totally different story."

"So, what do you do, exactly?" Aryll asked.

"I oversee all transactions," Revali said. "Contracts come across my desk and I implement them. I send out jobs all over the world."

"So, why do you need Link?" Mipha asked.

"To sign off on contracts I can't."

"And why can't you?" Daruk asked, narrowing his gaze.

"Because I'm too closely involved in the company. Link would be acting as, say, an outside employee."

"To sign off on the shadier jobs," Link said. "So that when your company gets sued, I'm the one going down."

"That's why we have lawyers," Revali reminded him. "To cover your ass."

"You're insane."

"I am not representing you," Urbosa snarled. "Link's right. You are insane."

"You would slander the name of the hero?" Link said.

"That's exactly it," Revali said. "There's no way the hero would be involved in anything questionable. They see your signature and all their doubts and worries wash away."

"Right," Link said dryly. "That's exactly it. No problem at all."

"What I tell ya?"

"Not happening."

"It's not like it's that big of a deal," Revali said. "We have other people that do this. I just need someone in my new office."

"So take whoever you had before."

"Can't," Revali said. "He's in jail."

Link just stared at him.

"He's in jail for trafficking drugs!" Revali said in a exasperated tone. "Goddesses!"

"Did your company have him do that?" Daruk asked.

"The point is," Revali started, blatantly ignoring Daruk's question. "It's not as bad as ya'll are making it out to be."

"No, I think it's that bad," Urbosa said.

"Dude," Daruk started. "How did you even get involved in that?"

"Headhunters," Revali said proudly. "They saw my skill and worth. I am a valuable asset."

"What skill?"

"They had me doing the same shady ass job in my early days," Revali said.

"So you admit it's shady?" Urbosa said.

Revali ignored her. "I proved myself and I got promoted." He crossed his arms. "If you don't want the shit jobs, you gotta prove your worth."

"So, now I get the shit job?" Link said.

"Don't look at it that way," Revali said. "See it as a stepping stone."

"To a future in jail."

"Whatever," Revali said, crossing his arms. "I don't want you to work for me, anyway."

"So, how's the apartment?" Urbosa said to Mipha. "Glad to be back?"

Mipha frowned. "My neighbors are either having an affair with the pizza delivery guy, or they really like to roleplay."

"Why don't you just move in with Link?"

Mipha's cheeks reddened and Link made a sound of disgust.

"Wow," Daruk muttered. "Tense."

"I don't need to live with two women," Link said, narrowing his eyes at his sister.

"Hey, fuck you, man," Aryll said.

"He's right," Revali said, coming to his defense. "That's double the PMS. Nobody needs that shit."

"Move forward in your relationship!" Urbosa barked at them.

"We've been together a week," Link said. "At that rate, we'll be married by next weekend."

Urbosa rolled her eyes. "You've been together forever. You might as well be."

"Don't do it," Revali said. "It's a trap. Teba got married, had a kid, and I haven't seen him since."

"That must be so hard for you," Urbosa said dryly.

"Don't worry," Link started. "I won't fall into that trap."

Mipha sighed and turned to Urbosa. "Do you have any single guy friends?"

Urbosa grinned. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll get him to come around."

"That sounds like a threat," Revali said, and Urbosa winked at Link.

And under the stars muffled by city lights, the night went on.


	14. Chapter 14

Link and Mipha spent every moment they could together in the following days. On Thursday, he came home to find Aryll and Mipha in the kitchen, both with a carton of ice cream in front of them.

"I deserve this," Aryll said, coming to her defense when her brother eyed her judgingly. "I survived my last final."

"Oh, yeah." He let himself drop into one of the chairs at the table. He grabbed Mipha's ice cream and helped himself, ignoring her glare. "How was that?"

"A waste of time," Aryll said. She sighed. "Guess I'm a senior now."

"Sucker."

"You'll be fine," Mipha said with a warm smile. Without turning to Link, she snatched her ice cream back, and grinned.

Link sighed, then turned his attention to his phone as Aryll continued.

"I was thinking," she started. "We should take Mipha for a ride this weekend."

Mipha hesitated and looked to Link for answers. "Ride? Ride what?"

"Horses, of course," Aryll said.

"You can ride horses?"

"Well, I can. Link thinks he can ride, but he's not as good as me."

Mipha grinned and crossed her arms. "You're full of surprises."

Link didn't look up from his phone, frowning down at his pathetic bank account. "I shovel shit all day. Is it really that unreasonable?"

"I guess I never pictured you as much of a horse person."

"Ha," Aryll barked, rolling her eyes. "You should see him dote on all the animals there. You'd think they were his kids."

"I like the dogs," Link muttered. "So what?"

"Mr. Tough Guy likes the fuzzy little animals," Aryll teased, elbowing Mipha.

"I don't like the cuccos," Link said firmly. "They're evil."

"He thinks the cuccos are out to kill him."

Mipha raised a brow. "I'm sorry. You took down the great evil Ganondorf with only a sword, and you're afraid of a bunch of little feathery cuccos?"

"They're evil and they want vengeance!"

"Vengeance?" Mipha shouted. "For what?"

"Link ran one over once," Aryll continued to fill Mipha in.

Link ran a finger across his neck in a slicing motion.

Mipha batted her eyelashes playfully at him, getting up close. "Will you protect me from the cuccos, Mr. Hero?"

"No way," Link said, shaking his head. "You're on your own with that."

Aryll smirked at Mipha, then stood, returning her ice cream to the freezer.

"Where you going?" Link asked.

"To bed," Aryll said with a yawn. "My brain is fried." She stretched her arms over her head as she rounded the corner. "Time to sleep all summer!"

"Sounds like you're kinda summer," Mipha said with a grin. But when she turned back to Link, he had his head in his hands and was back to staring at his phone, his brows furrowed. Mipha frowned as she watched Link scroll and tap on his phone. "What's wrong?"

Link sighed and turned off the screen before setting his phone on the table. "I need to win the lottery." He rubbed his face tiredly with his palms.

Mipha hesitated. "That bad?"

Link stood and made his way to the fridge, grabbing himself a beer, though he cursed himself in the back of his mind for caving to the craving. He shrugged as he opened it. "I could always resort to selling my blood or something. Maybe a kidney. That'll at least get Aryll through high school. She's on her own for college, though."

Mipha didn't find him amusing, however. "What are you going to do?"

"Ignore my problems like I've been doing for the last five years." He sat back down. "If I can stick it out another year, I can at least sell the house after."

"Well," Mipha started. "I'm not exactly digging my tiny apartment."

Link's brows furrowed. "You want to live here?"

Mipha shrugged. "I can pay half the mortgage, and I'll even throw in sex."

"A tempting offer," Link started. "But I'm already getting sex."

Mipha smiled. "Then I'll withhold sex until you let me move in."

Link frowned. "That's unfair," he said. He pulled his gaze away. "Besides. I'm not taking your money."

Mipha shrugged. "What's mine is yours."

"That only applies in marriage."

"I've seen plenty of marriages where that doesn't apply."

Link smiled. "Good thing I'm not a sucker."

"Come on," Mipha whined. "Stop being so stubborn. I'm not doing it for you, alright?"

Link's lips twisted to the side. "Then, who's it for?"

"For me," she said simply. "We've been dating for two weeks. It's time we take this to the next level."

Link smiled. "Right," he said. "But then I have to like, get a key made. And then you'll be getting mail here." He groaned. "I don't want girly shit in my room."

"You have it so hard, don't you?" Mipha said dryly. She frowned and pushed herself away from the table, getting to her feet. "Fine. I won't move in. I'll stay in my shitty apartment and spend my nights window shopping on EHarmony."

Link grinned, chasing after her as she moved to the door. He caught her wrist and pulled her into him, kissing her lightly.

"I'm kidding, alright?" he said.

Mipha's gaze narrowed as she studied him. "I don't think you are," she said. "You don't want me around."

"I want you around. I've always wanted you around. For as long as I've known you, alright? Move in here." He grinned. "And then I won't have to take that job with Revali."

Mipha smiled. "Well, we can't have that."

Aryll frowned down at the box. She had arranged everything perfectly, optimizing the space to allow her to pack as many items as possible. What she hadn't considered, however, was the weight of the box, tightly packed with Mipha's items. Her lips twisted to the side.

"Here's another one for ya," she said over her shoulder to her brother as he made his way back into the apartment.

"Will you stop it?" he hissed at her. He moved to the box and peered inside. "Aryll, you can't possibly fill every box like that. They'll break."

Aryll tapped the box with the toe of her shoe. "These are sturdy boxes," she said frankly. "They won't break."

Link sighed and rolled his eyes. He lifted the box and headed back outside to pack it in his car. Mipha whistled playfully as she passed.

"I knew it," Link said. "You're using me for my muscle."

Aryll snorted from behind, a much smaller box in her arms. "I'm way stronger than you."

"Then why are you making me carry all the heavy boxes?" Link sneered at her.

"Because I figured you'd want to impress Mipha or whatever stupid guys do."

"He's never tried to impress me," Mipha said.

"You mean he didn't win you over with his lazy work ethic and carefree attitude?" Aryll grinned.

"He was completely oblivious to every woman that ever looked at him," Mipha said. "He was an absolute idiot."

"He still is," Aryll confirmed.

Link slammed the car door shut. "Alright, fine," he snapped at them. "See if I help anymore."

"What a baby," Aryll said, rolling her eyes.

Mipha batted her eyelashes at him and kissed his cheek. "At least you were smart enough to finally kiss me."

"Smartest thing I ever did," he said with a smile.

Aryll stepped between them stubbornly to pack the box she held in her car. She straightened after and stretched her arms over her head. "Is that it?" she asked. "Are we done now?"

"Now we get to move it all back in," Mipha said.

"Just don't break up any time soon," Aryll said. "I'm not doing this again."

"You're so lazy," Link muttered.

"You would know," she responded. "Besides. I'm allowed to be lazy. I deserve to be lazy. It's summer break."

"Get a job."

Aryll frowned. "Can't I just be lazy for one more summer?"

"Not if you want to go to college," Link said as he got into the car.

Aryll sighed, but said nothing more as she slid into the passenger seat. She leaned over the car door, her arms dangling, as Mipha moved to get into her own car.

"Don't grow up," Mipha said to a grin as she passed Aryll. "And whatever you do, don't date heroes."

"Are you really sure about this moving in thing?" Aryll said, returning her grin. "It's not too late."

"Someone's gotta make you something besides peanut butter and banana sandwiches, since apparently you're both incapable."

"I learned from the best," Aryll said, smirking over at her brother as she settled back into her seat.

"Maybe I'll move in with Revali," Link muttered to himself.

Aryll ignored him and flipped through the stations on the radio as they pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road. When she finally settled on a song, she sang along loudy, pausing only when her phone rang, and she quickly answered it.

"Hey… No, I'm out… Nah, just helping my stupid brother." She grinned over at link, then immediately frowned at the voice in her ear. "Ew. Shut the fuck up… No, we're busy. Mipha's moving her shit in." She grinned as she listened. "Sucks to be you." And the frown returned. "I hate you so much… I thought you were grounded for life?" She snickered after a moment. "Yeah, totally. I wouldn't know… Hey, I can say it, you can't… Because when I say it, everyone feels sorry for me. When you say it, you're just a huge bitch… I get away with shit. Obviously I'm going to use that to my advantage." She rolled her eyes. "I take what I can get." Her cheeks reddened. "He did? Seriously?" She listened intently. "Why would you do that?... Goddesses, Cremia. You're -... Fine. Maybe. I'll think about it… Bye." She ended the call rather abruptly and fumed in her seat for a moment.

Link glanced at her quickly. "So, who was that?" He grinned.

Aryll rolled her eyes. "Cremia. She says hi."

"Did she?"

"In so many words," she muttered.

Link raised a brow. "What does that mean?"

"It means she's a horny slut bag," Aryll snapped.

"Okay," Link said slowly. "I thought you guys were friends?"

Aryll sighed. "Yeah. For some reason, we are."

"What did she do this time?"

"She keeps trying to set me up with this football guy."

"He sounds out of your league."

"Fuck you, man," Aryll hissed. "I don't like him anymore, anyway."

"Anymore?"

Aryll crossed her arms and turned away, her cheeks warming. "Boys are stupid."

"Atta girl," Link said.

"That means you, too," Aryll sneered at him.

"That's alright," he said with a shrug. "You're stuck with me for another year, anyway."

"What does she see in you?" Aryll said, mostly to herself. She shook her head.

"Who?"

"Mipha," she said. She paused for a moment. "And every other girl in the world."

"Where were all these girls in high school?"

Aryll snorted in disgust. "You had one lucky moment as a hero. Why does that make you the most popular guy in the world?"

"Are you jealous?"

"I'm jealous of everyone who has a normal family. Do you know what I have to deal with at school? All your dumb fangirls asking me for your number!"

"They do?"

"Ugh! You're such a stupid guy!"

"You're stupid."

"Real mature. Thank Hylia I'll have Mipha around from now on. I don't think I can take another year of your shit."

"My shit?" Link echoed. "Get through your senior year without getting expelled, and then we'll talk about who has to deal with more shit."

Aryll shrugged. "That was just my rebellious junior phase. I'm over that, now."

"Who knew it was that easy?"

"Don't worry," she said. "I'll get out of your hair the second I turn eighteen."

Link frowned. "Really?"

"You have Mipha," she said. "You won't want me around."

Link shrugged. "As long as you don't go far."

Aryll smiled. "Maybe. We'll see."


	15. Chapter 15

By the time Saturday came around, Mipha was officially moved in. She and Aryll both spent the majority of the day apparently rearranging the entire house, which seemed to include an unnecessary amount of pillows that seemed to come out of nowhere. When Aryll tried to explain it to him, she merely said "It makes our house look less like a bachelor pad and more like a place someone would live in." The only difference Link noticed were the pillows. And throws. And somewhere a new area rug wound up there, too.

For his own sanity, he opted to stay out of whatever it is they were doing. He was outnumbered by the women, now. Nothing he said would matter. This was his life now. Though, he supposed there were worse ways to live.

Despite it all, he was still a little surprised to wake up Saturday morning to see Mipha beside him, and he couldn't help the dumb smile that spread across his face. She rolled over to face hin. Her eyes opened, and she smiled.

"Hey," she said sleepily. She rubbed her eyes with a hand. "Um." She yawned. "What's wrong?"

"I forgot you live here now."

Mipha frowned. "I'm… sorry?"

Link grinned. He settled back into the bed and draped an arm over her. "It's alright. I guess I can deal with it."

Mipha rolled her eyes, but smiled. But before she could speak further, there was an erratic knocking on the door. Aryll's excited voice quickly followed.

"Come on, get up! We're burning daylight, here! Put your fucking clothes on and let's go ride ponies!"

Mipha groaned softly. She pulled the blankets over her shoulder. "We're still doing that? I thought she forgot."

Link threw the blankets off of them, ignoring Mipha's shouts, and proceeded to dress. "Aryll doesn't forget anything." He turned to her. "Come on, you'll have fun. I owe it to Aryll."

Mipha sighed. "Yeah, alright. But if I die, I'm haunting the fuck out of you."

Link grinned. "Deal."

Within the hour, Mipha found herself in an old barn. Three horses stood patiently in the aisle way inside. They were saddled, but otherwise were not tied in any way, merely standing loose and ready to trample her at any moment. When she voiced her concerns, however, both Link and Aryll disregarded her and instead suggested she get to know the horse she would be riding.

Mipha looked up at the large beast. It snorted and shook its head and she stepped back warily. "I don't know about this," she said. She reached a hand out, then shied away when the horse turned to sniff it. She mouthed the words "You're so big" silently, then turned to Link. "I've never seen a horse before. I feel like a fish out of water. Can't we... do something else?"

"Come on," Link said. He took the reins to his horse and hers and lead both horses out of the barn confidently. Mipha watched in awe as the horses hung their heads and moseyed along beside him. "I got you a nice one," he said over his shoulder.

Mipha turned a nervous gaze to Aryll as she followed Link. "There are mean ones?"

"Don't worry," Aryll said with a grin. "They don't kick too hard."

She followed them outside, making sure to keep her distance behind the horses. She moved cautiously to Link's side when he beckoned to her.

"Put your foot here," he directed her, holding the stirrup in place. "And swing your other leg over. Grab mane."

Mipha nodded and did as she was instructed. But pulling herself onto the horse's back proved to be more difficult than she realized. Link, however, was quick to catch her and hoist her over. She was slumped forward for a moment, afraid to move. But when the horse did not budge, she worked up the courage to push herself off of the horse's neck, straightening in the saddle.

"Okay," she said, steadying herself. "I'm alive."

Link grinned up at her, then left her alone to mount his own horse. The horse stepped forward under him, clearly anxious to go, but Link seemed able to rein him in with ease, never once showing fear for the creature.

"For the love of Hylia," Mipha muttered. "What do I do now?"

"Sit back and enjoy the ride," Link said simply. He took the reins in one hand, moved them across the horse's neck, and kicked his heels into the horse, encouraging him forward. Mipha's horse started to move suddenly, and she yelped and grabbed onto his mane. She sneered at Aryll, laughing beside her. She straightened once more as she balanced herself along with her horse's slow pace.

"How do I steer this thing?"

"You don't need to," Aryll said. "He's good. He'll just follow us."

"Great," Mipha muttered. "What about an emergency brake?"

"Just pull back like this." Aryll demonstrated and her horse stopped for a moment.

"Sure," Mipha said. "Easy enough."

Aryll moved ahead of them, and Link fell behind to ride beside Mipha as Aryll lead the way. They moved away from the barn, around the back paddocks, and down a worn path towards the treeline. When they reached the woods, the horses followed the paths, clearly knowing the area well.

"So, this is what you guys do?" Mipha asked.

"Sometimes," Link said.

Mipha smiled. "Oh." She paused, looking ahead is Aryll cooed to her horse. There was a split in the path, and Aryll yelled to them before pushing her horse faster down the other path. They could see her through the trees as she looped around, jumping over a few fallen logs before meeting back up on the main path, much further ahead.

"Aryll seems to enjoy it," Mipha noted.

"She's always bugging me to come."

"Hm."

Link raised a brow. "What?"

Mipha grinned and shook her head. "I thought I knew everything about you. Never in a million years would I have pictured you as some farm boy."

"I'm not a farm boy," Link muttered.

"Right," Mipha said teasingly. "Just don't start wearing overalls."

Link made a sound of disgust. "Not even if my life depended on it."

Up ahead, Aryll was turned around, waiting impatiently for them. "Come on," she whined. "Pick up the pace! If I wanted to be slow, I would have walked myself."

After another twenty minutes of navigating the forest, they finally stepped out of the tree-line, and the world opened up before them. The land rolled away, up and down, seemingly endlessly towards the sunset. They paused for a moment to admire the view before Aryll interrupted.

"Okay!" Aryll exclaimed. "Let's race!"

"R-race?" Mipha stuttered out. "Like, go fast?"

"You can stay behind," Aryll said. "But Link and I always race out here, and I always win."

"I let you win," Link commented.

"Wait, I can't control this thing by myself."

"We told you how to make it go and stop," Aryll said, rolling her eyes. "We'll be back!" And with that, she kicked and shouted at her horse and they took off into a full gallop.

Link sighed and shook his head, his horse prancing anxiously under him. "Idiot," he muttered under his breath.

"Go," Mipha said, doing her best to offer him a confident smile. "I'll catch up."

"You'll fall."

"No, I won't." Mipha sucked in a breath. "I've got this. What do I do?"

Link grinned. "Hang on for dear life."

Mipha hesitated. "Hang on? To what?"

Link pushed his horse closer to her with his leg. "Look." He moved her hand towards the horse's mane. "Don't hang on to the reins. Grab mane. It won't hurt him. But don't lean too far forward, okay? But don't try to sit in the saddle, either. It's too fast. Use your thighs to push yourself up."

Mipha's eyes darted around the horse anxiously. "Mane. Thighs. Okay, sure."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Mipha kicked at the horse with her heels lightly and the horse moved forward slowly. "Yeah, come on!" But before she could think of how to make the horse go faster, Link and his horse were galloping passed them.

Mipha, however, did not need to figure out how to make the horse go faster, as he seemed to be on auto-pilot, all too anxious to keep up with his two friends. The horse broke into a gallop, jolting Mipha backwards. She quickly grabbed onto the mane, apologizing frantically to the creature, but he seemed unfazed by her tugging. She tried to remember what Link had just said to her; she squeezed her thighs against the saddle, which she quickly found helped to balance her. She pushed herself out of the saddle just slightly, and immediately she found that she was bouncing much less. Not only that, but the horse seemed to appreciate it, too, his ears now perked forward, his neck outstretched as he moved faster still.

The wind blew her hair back behind her and quickly stung at her eyes, causing them to moisten and her vision to blur. She tried to wipe her hand across her eyes in an attempt to clear her vision, but it didn't seem to do her a lot of good. She clung to the horse, praying silently that they would not hit anything as they galloped. Just as she was starting to wonder when the race would be over, the horse slowed suddenly, throwing her off balance. She regained herself quickly, keeping in the saddle, and wiped at her eyes once more as the horse came to a stop. He immediately plunged his head down and began to graze.

Mipha looked ahead as Link and Aryll turned their horses around, and Aryll cheered, standing in her stirrups.

"You got a head start," Link said stubbornly. "That hardly counts as a win."

"I'm sorry," Aryll said. "All I hear is 'Wah, wah, wah. I'm a little bitch.'"

"You are such a sore winner."

Aryll grinned. "Eat my dust!"

"I'm alright," Mipha said loudly. "It's cool. I survived."

Link winked at her. "I knew you would."

"Race back?" Aryll said excitedly.

"How about no?" Mipha pleaded. "I've had enough adventure for today."

Link nodded. He nudged at his horse with his heels, and the three creatures mosied along the crest of the hill and back toward the treeline.

"At least admit that it was fun," Aryll said as they rode alongside each other.

"It was… kinda scary."

Aryll frowned. "Really?"

"I couldn't see!"

Aryll giggled. "But did you die?"

"A little bit. Inside."

Aryll rolled her eyes. "You just need practice. Then you'll love it and you can come out with us all the time."

Mipha smiled. "Yeah. Maybe."

"Now that it's summer, we can come out every weekend," Aryll continued excitedly. "I'll teach you everything you need to know about horses."

Link rolled his eyes and sighed, but still, he smiled. He couldn't remember the last time Aryll was this excited about something, and he felt relieved that she seemed to be back to her normal self. He felt more confident than he had in a long time that they could find some sense of normalcy in their lives again.

His attention was caught, however, by sudden movement by the edge of the woods. His gaze moved quickly to the source, but just as soon as it appeared, it seemed to vanish. Neither Mipha nor Aryll had seemed to notice it, and Aryll continued to chat excitedly with Mipha. He watched as his horse's ears flicked towards the woods, and he knew that he hadn't imagined it. His pulse quickened, realizing then that they were in danger. He reached over and grabbed Mipha's reins, then barked at his sister.

"Move!"

Aryll moved a questioning gaze to him, but it was too late.

Several Yiga soldiers lunged out of the trees at that moment, spooking the horses and causing them to rear and bolt in panic. The three riders managed to stay on their steeds, and Link quickly regained control, turning his horse back around to face their enemies.

"Link!" Aryll caught Mipha's horse, and she pulled them both to a stop, turning around to shout once more at her brother, who was now pushing his horse back into a gallop towards the Yiga soldiers.

But he was not prepared for their ambush, simply charging blindly at them in hopes of scaring them off. Instead, they lunged at him again, knocking him off of his horse and surrounding him. He got to his feet quickly, looking around as they closed in, then turned his gaze to Mipha and Aryll, shouting to them, but it was too late. Yiga soldiers had enclosed around them, too, and soon, his vision of them was blocked completely. His eyes darted around the circle that had surrounded him. One of the soldiers raised a hand, and his world darkened.


	16. Chapter 16

When he came to, it was not without a splitting headache. He couldn't even bring himself to open his eyes, but as his mind slowly came into focus, he listened to the sounds around him. It was very quiet, but not silent. From above him, there was the distinct hum of a light fixture. The air on his skin was cool. Damp, even. He shivered slightly, then opened his eyes. He was staring down at his feet, and he noticed then how stiff his neck felt. He wiggled his fingers, and his wrists ached. His gaze moved to his arms and noticed then that they were strapped down, along with his ankles. He lifted his head, fighting against the vertigo for a moment, and looked around the room.

It was dimly lit, very large, and very empty. He sat in one corner of the room, directly across from the door, but he was hardly centered in the room. He had half expected a single light bulb to be dangling above him in the center of the room. Wasn't that how villains liked to torture their captives in the movies? Why should he be an exception to that cliche?

He knew, without a doubt in his mind, that he was likely somewhere in the Yiga hideout, where ever that was. Unless, of course, they prefered to keep their captives in other locations, to keep the secret hidden, of course. Yes, that seemed very likely. But one thing was for sure; the Yiga Clan had him, Mipha, and Aryll in their clutches, and that was very, very bad news.

He cursed silently. Damn it, Kit and Revali were right all along. He shouldn't have doubted them for a second. He shouldn't have listened to his father. Why didn't he just take care of them ten years ago? There were so many thoughts rushing through his head, but the one that kept coming back was whether or not Dorian had anything to do with the situation he was in. He swore on Hylia he would kill the traitor himself as soon as he got the chance. And the entire Yiga Clan, too, while he was at it.

The door opened then, bringing him out of his thoughts. His chin jolted up and his gaze fell on a man that could have only been Kohga himself, leader of the Yiga Clan. Kohga stood in the doorway, grinning stupidly as he met Link's gaze.

"My, my," he said as he stepped into the room and toward Link. "It took longer than I planned, but I finally have Hyrule's Chosen Hero in my hideout. I'll try not to gush, but," He leaned in close to Link's face, "I'm such a fan." He grinned, then stepped away and crossed the room towards the table where various tools were laid out.

"I should tell you," he said as his fingers ran along the table and the tools. "A lot of people died to protect you. You'd have no way to know that, of course, so I felt it only right to tell you." He turned to regard Link over his shoulder, but Link kept his eyes on the ground, though listening intently.

"Your father included," he continued. He selected a large, sharp looking knife and turned it in the light, inspecting it. "All the torturing in the world wouldn't get him to talk. But it didn't matter; I would find you one way or another, and low and behold, I did." He turned with the knife in hand, smiling wickedly. "King Roham has a way with keeping those details a secret, though, doesn't he? Killed in action, I'm sure he said. How conveniently vague." He laughed lightly. "And you were none the wiser. Seems interesting that all these secrets would be kept from you, doesn't it?" He rubbed his chin, then shook his head. "Makes me wonder; are they trying to protect you? Or perhaps there's... something else they're trying to protect?"

Link continued to stare at his feet, avoiding his gaze. Surely he was just trying to get into his head, but it was working. His mind was racing, trying to decipher all the Yiga Clan leader was telling him. Had Impa and Roham really been keeping things from him? And for what purpose? It didn't matter in that moment, though. Mipha and Aryll were missing, and he was stuck in that damned chair, waiting for Kohga to choose his weapon.

"I had such joy seeing your father come to his end, after all these years," he continued. "And I will have even greater pleasure ending your life. I'll make it just as slow and painful as it was for your father. In fact." He turned around, putting the knife down and instead picking up a long syringe. "Let's get right to it. I'm anxious to see how this will work with you, the boy with the spirit of the hero."

He approached Link, bending down to get into his face once more. He held the syringe before him, grinning. "A little something I've put together. Are you curious about it?" He didn't wait for Link to answer. "Of course you are. And I will tell you. I'm quite proud of this. And you'll be interested to know what is happening to you." He straightened and moved to Link's side, prepping his equipment. "It has worked quite well on our other... subjects. In fact, we'll be using this on Ganondorf himself as well. A little dark magic, so to speak." With the needle filled, he flicked the tip. "We've had great success using this in," he raised his brows excitedly, "raising the dead, so to speak. We're preparing an entire army of undeads, pumped full of this little dark magic. With you, we suspect it will darken that little Triforce inside of you. This will allow us to not only raise Ganondorf from his seal, but once we get our hands on Zelda as well, the Triforce will become complete, and without the purity of its power, allow Ganondorf to use its full power without it shattering."

He pressed the needle into Link's arm. Link stiffened, but unable to move, he could do nothing to prevent anything from happening to him. He waited with clenched teeth until the needle was finally removed, and almost immediately, the room began to spin.

"It will take a few doses of this before it really starts to take effect," he continued, moving back towards the table. "You may even be feeling it right now as it flows through your body." He looked over as Link slouched in the chair and smiled. "You will have a variety of reactions to it," he said. "Sickness, nightmares, hallucinations. In high doses, it will kill you. But not to worry; I've perfected it for our purposes with you. You'll only want to die. But once you completely succumb to the power, Hyrule's Hero will be dead, and you will begin your new life, fighting for Ganondorf."

"You think this plan of yours will work?" Link muttered. He gasped as a sickening pain washed through him.

Kohga laughed. "Don't be a fool," he said. "The tough guy front will get you nowhere, now. You and your friends and all of Hyrule are finished." He made his way towards the door. "I'll be back in a couple of hours for another dose." He smiled. "We'll have such a good time together." And with that, he closed the door behind him, leaving Link alone to his thoughts in the dark room.

Link's eyes darted around as they adjusted to the darkness, though he still couldn't see worth a damn. He desperately replayed Kohga's cliched monologue in his head. He had watched enough movies to know that Kohga - the villain of his own story - was likely fucking with him, but he couldn't help but to believe every word of it. And the more he thought about it, the more it all made sense. Even his father had said so himself; the Yiga Clan had been, as he put it, 'a thorn in their side for years.' He didn't doubt for a second that his father under exaggerated that a great deal. And then there was the speculation his friends had about Dorian and the beef between the Sheikah and his father. There were secrets between the two men who once called themselves close friends. Could it be that Dorian had something to do with the Yiga Clan? But Zelda was so quick to shut down that suspicion as well, after his father had apparently died in a tragic attack.

Perhaps, then, it was so much more. It became clear to Link, now, how deep the war was. So deep, in fact, that even though Ganondorf had been defeated, the threat still remained. For years, Hyrule battled silently, behind his - the hero's - back, without his knowledge, sending in their own soldiers to their deaths.

Soldiers like his father. A man who was thrust so deep into the secrecy of war, that he died at the very hands of the people they were trying to defeat. He died to protect the only secret he held so dearly to him; the whereabouts of the man whom the Yiga could use against Hyrule. Link's whereabouts.

No. He didn't merely die. He was murdered. Murdered by people who had once sworn to protect the royal family and all of Hyrule. Murdered by traitors.

Link let the rage was through him as he shouted into the empty room. He struggled against the restraints, but unless he had Daruk's strength, there was no way he would be able to break out. But then again, it was likely that they were well prepared for anything Hyrule's Champions could throw at them. Perhaps even Daruk would have been rendered useless in the restraints. They didn't stand a damn chance against the Yiga Clan.

Still, Link continued to struggle desperately. He had to get out of there. He had to save Aryll and Mipha. He had to kill Kohga and destroy the Yiga Clan. He wanted nothing more than the taste of revenge for everything they had done. But as he struggled, he found himself growing unexplainably more and more exhausted by the second. His head felt clouded and darkness crept in at the corners of his vision, quickly disorienting him. Nausea moved through him as his head started to spin. His body shivered, yet sweat dripped off of him. And then, he lost consciousness all together.

He blinked in the bright light, letting his eyes adjust. He stood in the doorway into the kitchen. The room seemed unexplainably bright for a moment, but then it settled to something more bearable. Link could hear the faint sound of a woman humming a familiar tune. His eyes moved to the blonde woman that stood at the counter, her back turned to him, and his breath caught in his throat. Sensing his presence, the woman turned, her piercing blue gaze meeting his, and she smiled.

Her voice was kind and comforting when she spoke "Hey," she said. "Are you just gonna stand there?" She let out a light giggle, her head cocking to the side slightly.

Link ran to her. His mother wrapped her arms around him, then moved her fingers to brush through his hair as he buried his face against her.

"You can't stay here," she said softly.

He knew this all too well, but he did not move away from her. She hugged him tighter as he cried against her.

"I'm sorry, Link," she said. Her voice sound distant. "I never wanted this for you."

He wanted to tell her he understood. That he didn't blame her. Or his father. There was so much he wanted to say to her, but he couldn't find his voice. He pulled away and watched as his mother seemed to fade away right before his eyes.

"I love you," she said. "Don't give up."

Link reached desperately for her, but as he did so, he felt a strange snap in his body, in his mind, as if shutting off his connection with her completely, plunging him in darkness.

Link gasped for breath. The world was still dark, and it took him a moment before he realized he was still secured in the Yiga Clan hideout. He struggled against the restraints, but still, he could not break free of them. He ceased struggling for a moment, his breathing heavy as he fought to catch his breath. His lashes were wet and he quickly blinked away his leftover tears.

At that moment, the door opened and light pooled through. Kohga stood in the doorway with a look of absolute pleasure on his face. He stepped into the room, watching Link with an eager grin, and the dim lights turned on with a faint buzzing sound. He stopped before Link and looked down at him.

"It won't be long before you can no longer discern your dreams from reality," he said. "And both will only get worse with time. You will soon beg for death, and I will happily oblige." He moved to the table to retrieve another syringe. "I guess that makes me rather kind, doesn't it?" he said. "The Chosen Hero will die and begin his new life. It's really quiet poetic."

The syringe plunged into his skin, but this time, Link hardly noticed it. He didn't move as he accepted his fate. He could practically feel the dark energy pulsing through him, and once more, it caused his head to spin sickeningly. His fingers curled into his palms as the pain rushed through him, cutting deep into his skin and causing his hands to bleed.

"This will be our routine for the next few days," Kohga said as he stepped away. "Settle in. It's gonna be a wild ride." He dropped the empty syringe carelessly onto the table, and without another word, left Link alone.

Once more, Link fell into unconsciousness, more quickly than he had the first time.

When he came to, he seemed to still be within the walls of the Yiga Clan hideout. However, he was no longer restrained. He sat up on the cold, hard floor and looked around him. Several dark cloaked figures circled around him. He got to his feet cautiously, prepared to defend himself, but they did not move. From among them, only one man stepped forward and out of the unexplainable shadows.

Rusl approached his son, holding his gaze on him as he grabbed his left wrist and pulled Link towards him. He inspected his hand for a moment, and the Triforce began to pulse. However, it was not the same soft, golden light that it once emit. It was dark and wicked, and Link could feel the power of it pull through his body, as if threatening to leave him.

Rusl smiled. He let go when Link pulled his wrist out of his father's grip. Link sneered up at him, his heart racing.

"Why are you doing this?"

"The Triforce belongs to Demise," his father said, his voice strong. "It has since the dawn of time. We're here to return it to its rightful owner."

Link stared blankly at him for a moment, then narrowed his gaze. "What are you talking about?"

"Hylia has covered this truth throughout the ages. That's why Sheikah have abandoned the royal family. That's why the Yiga Clan exists; to bring back the truths of this world."

Link searched his father's gaze desperately. "You can't be serious…"

"The Goddesses thought they sensed evil intent in Demise, so they took the Triforce from him and entrusted it with Hylia instead. They wrongly accused him and sealed him away. That's why Hyrule has fallen to his supposed curse. That's why Hyrule belongs to Demise."

"You… you're working with them. You have been all along."

"The Yiga Clan are not the enemy, Link. The sooner you realize that, the better."

"Then why are they intent on killing me?"

"You possess a piece of it. That piece does not belong to you. You must give it up so Demise can return to power."

"And then?"

"And then you will die."

"You knew this all along," Link said softly as he came to the realization. His entire life was a lie. His family was a lie. He was a lie. "You're lying!"

Rusl turned his back on his son. He stepped back into the darkness, uttering his only command to the cloaked figures. "Take it and kill him."


	17. Chapter 17

The injections came every few hours as Kohga had promised him, but Link could no longer differentiate the real world from his hallucinations. He had no idea how many injections he had received or how many days had passed. The world simply ceased to exist around him as he drifted in and out of hallucinations, each one blending into the next. He whimpered and gasped as his body reacted to each injection, until finally, he could start to feel a new life take form inside of him.

And as the injections continued, he grew more and more infuriated. His anger seemed to temporarily ground him in those moments, and for the first time in what felt like years, he could recognize his surroundings once more. He felt more grounded in reality, more aware as Kohga approached him with each syringe. The anger grew inside of him until it became seemingly irrational. He was angry at King Roham and Impa for keeping his father's death a secret. At Dorian for betraying them all. He was angry at Mipha for abandoning him; at Aryll for falling into the same pit of despair he had; at his mother for dying. He was angry at all his friends for seemingly betraying him, moving on with their lives and leaving him alone, and angry with his father keeping secrets. But most of all, he was angry at himself for letting the Yiga Clan get their hands on Aryll and Mipha, and for allowing himself to succumb to Kohga's tortuous injections.

When the next injection came, he couldn't contain his anger any longer. It bubbled through his body, flaring wildly as Kohga approached him. His anger clouded his mind as it grew to levels of rage he had never experienced before, and he quickly felt himself losing control until he seemed to only be a small figuring huddling in the corner of his mind as something else entirely took over.

Link's body strained against the restraints, testing their strength as he threatened to break through. His fingers flexed, then curled into his palms, his nails suddenly long and sharp. His skin paled and darkened, as his eyes flashed vivid red. A low growl escaped his throat as his gaze landed on Kohga, his chest heaving with each breath he took.

This seemed to please Kohga, and he grinned and laughed as Link twisted in the chair. Link threw himself forward, and the restraints groaned under the pressure, but otherwise held strong, holding him back despite his struggles. Kohga plunged the syringe into him once more and the fury raged further inside Link for another moment. But then his body calmed as soon as the syringe was withdrawn. The rage disappeared almost instantly and he fell back against the chair, his body falling limp as his awareness crawled forward, taking control once more.

He was exhausted. So exhausted that he could barely move or open his eyes. But he forced his eyes to open. His eyes that had returned to their clear, pure blue, moved weakly to Kohga as his breathing slowed and steadied.

"Thrilling, isn't it?" he said with a grin. "The more you fight it, the weaker you will become, and the quicker that darkness will consume you. Your rage feeds it. Soon, you will disappear completely. Hyrule's Hero will be gone forever."

Kohga moved back to the table, placing the empty syringe back on the table. "There won't be many more injections left," he said as he moved to the door. "But don't worry; we won't send you away without seeing your friends one last time. The two girls – we'll let you watch them die before we finish you ourselves."

If he wasn't so exhausted, the rage surely would have blown through him again, causing the darkness inside of him to gain control once more. But he simply could not think straight, or even really process the words Kohga had said to him, which may have been to his benefit. There was surely some truth to what Kohga had said; the more he fought against the darkness, the quicker it would consume him.

He let his head hang for sometime, allowing himself to rest before he finally felt relatively normal. His mind was clear; or, clear enough to begin to process all that had just happen. And for the first time in what seemed to be a long time, he remembered that Aryll and Mipha were in trouble, and that the Yiga Clan had them.

He cursed himself for succumbing to Kohga's injections, for not being stronger, for not being able to break away and save Mipha and Aryll. He took advantage of his sudden clarity and looked around the room once more. He needed to find a way out of his restraints. He fought against them once more, but still, they held strong. Even the chair did not budge, and he could only assume it was bolted into the floor. There would be no way he could escape. At least, not on his own. He was not strong enough, but maybe there was someone who was.

He tried desperately to will that other part of him to return. He reached into the deepest, darkest corners of his mind to will the darkness in him to surge forth once more. He tried to recall all he had seen, heard, and witnessed. He recalled some of his earlier hallucinations; the ones he was sure were hallucinations. Seeing his mother was surely one of them. But nothing more stood out to him. He thought back to his brief moment of consciousness - his father. He remembered seeing him. He ordered him killed. His own father… a traitor.

No. That couldn't be right. As strong as the memory was, he still couldn't believe it, though as he played it over again, the pain struck his chest each time, as real as the last. But he refused to believe it nonetheless.

Still; it had the effect he was hoping for. He could feel the darkness creep in around his mind, pushing aside his consciousness. And he let it - encouraged it - to take over. He opened himself to it, but it only seemed to shirk away. It quickly slipped away from him, causing his insides to pull sickeningly. His head spun once more, and he quickly lost consciousness.

The door opened and light spilled into the room. Two dark figures, silhouetted by the light behind them, stood in the doorway. They said nothing as they stepped into the room, closing the door behind them. The dim lights flickered on and hummed as they warmed. Link was barely conscious, his head hanging low and his breathing shallow. He noticed the change in the lighting. He heard the footsteps of the two figures that entered. But everything else was indiscernible. He paid no mind to them, assuming them to be more Yiga soldiers. In truth, he didn't care anymore. There was nothing he could do to stop them. He had given up.

A strong hand pushed him back against the chair, seemingly annoyed that he had not regarded them. The hand gripped his shoulder hard while another hand slammed his head against the chair. A bright light shone in his eyes, and he groaned and turned away from the source. The light snapped off and the hand pulled his chin. His eyes moved tiredly to the figure that stood before him. He recognized Dorian immediately, but his expression remained unchanged. Dorian's eyes narrowed fiercely on him as he spoke. Link couldn't understand him at first, and it seemed his face had shown his confusion. Dorian's gaze softened and he spoke again.

There was another voice after Dorian's. It came from the second figure, standing behind Dorian and off to the side. Link turned his gaze to this figure as he stepped forward into the light. He met the figure's gaze, smiled, then laughed. He pulled his chin out of Dorian's grip.

"Nice try," he muttered.

Dorian straightened, keeping his gaze on Link. He spoke again, and Link's mind slowly came into focus, now understanding the hallucinative conversation between the Sheikah and his dead father.

"...to the city."

Rusl's gaze hardened on Dorian. "They'll find him," he hissed.

"If we don't get him out," Dorian said, "Zelda will look for him. I won't let the Yiga get to her, too."

"Your job was to keep them out of the Yiga's hands," Rusl growled. "And yet here he is."

"Rusl," Dorian warned. "I'm doing everything I can damn well do."

"My son's on the brink of death because of you!"

Dorian shook his head. "Nothing I do is good enough for you," he said with a sigh. "I've managed to keep them safe for over twenty damn years. I got you out of this hell hole. What more do you want from me?"

"I'm done hiding," Rusl said. "You've had your way. I'm done. I want to go home."

"If you go -"

"He knows, Dorian! He's not an idiot!"

"That's debatable," Dorian muttered. He turned his gaze back to Link. He got to his knees and peered at him curiously. He pushed his chest back with a finger and Link turned his gaze to him.

"How's it going, kid?"

Link sighed heavily but did not respond.

"So, we're gonna get you outta here."

Link smiled, then laughed, but still, he did not respond. He knew better than to engage with the hallucinations. That's all they were. Images of false hope. Images of broken promises and pain. Nothing was real anymore.

"Okay," Dorian said. "Let's go."

"You're a traitor," Link muttered. "If I ever get out of here, I'll kill you."

"You're dense," Dorian said. "A damn idiot." He stood once more, stepping away as Rusl moved toward his son. He gripped his shirt, shaking him briefly.

"Snap the fuck out of it."

Link smiled and pulled away. "You're dead," he spat. "Get the fuck out."

Rusl frowned and released his hold on his son. He turned to Dorian. "What's your plan?" He didn't wait for a response. "Whether you like it or not, he's a part of this. He won't stand down. Not until he's destroyed the Yiga Clan." His gaze narrowed. "If you had just told him the truth -"

"What do you think would have happened?" Dorian snapped. "The same damn thing. He'd walk right into their hands with the stupid idea that he could end it. He's powerless against him. And before you know it, he and Zelda are team Ganondorf, and everything they've done will have been for nothing." His voice lowered. "If he knew you were alive, he would have gone after you. If he knew they were a threat, he would have gone after them. Either way, he would have been exactly where they wanted him." Dorian hesitated. There was a tone of regret in his voice when he spoke again. "I kept my promise to you, Rusl. I can't possibly plan for everything. They still got their hands on him. But he's here. He's alive. And I will get him out if you just let me do my job."

Rusl pulled his gaze away and turned back to his son. "I'm done," he said softly. "I can help him. We can finish this."

"How do you expect to do that?"

"The Champions," Rusl said. "They have a lot more going for them than you like to think. Let them do this. Let them fight."

"You were the one that wanted them to have no part of this," Dorian said.

"I know," Rusl hissed. "But they're all we've got."

"Let me talk to Impa and Roham," Dorian said. "I'll keep Kohga away from him and Zelda as long as I can."

Rusl met his gaze. He opened his mouth to speak, but Link's voice interrupted him.

"Dad."

Rusl turned to his son. His head still hung low. His body shuttered with each breath he took. Rusl moved to him, getting to his knees and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll get you out of here, alright?"

His head shook slowly. Tears fell onto his lap. Rusl frowned and moved his hand to his son's head. He pressed his forehead against Link's.

"Just hang in there, kay?"

Link did not respond to him. Rusl returned to his feet, his lips pinched together. He turned to Dorian. There was a bright flash of light and a loud crack split the air.

Link gasped for breath. His eyes moved around the room, but he was alone. There was no evidence otherwise that there had been anyone else in the room with him. He bit his lip and sobbed softly.

Though the space was small, Aryll still managed to pace back and forth, from wall to wall, almost dizzying herself in the process. She ignored Mipha's plea to stop, unable to calm her anxiety. Her hands trembled as she wracked her brain, reviewing every detail of their plan.

"Are you sure it will work?" Aryll said softly. Her pacing ceased and she gazed out the barred door.

"No," Mipha admitted. "And I can't heal as long as we're in here," she continued. "So we can't fuck up."

Aryll cursed softly. Already, they were both banged and bruised from the Yiga, virtually powerless against them. She was sure her bones weren't broken, but they were definitely fractured in some places. Her wrist, being one. And it was likely they had both suffered concussions, but there was nothing either of them could do about it except pray there were no internal damages that would sneak up on them suddenly.

From what they could recall, they had been Yiga captives for almost a week. It was enough time to quickly learn their routine, time their shift changes, and form a plan for themselves to break out and find Link. It wasn't a good plan. Far from it. But it was a plan, nonetheless. And Aryll was impatient as they waited for their chance to execute it. It wouldn't be long before their time was up, and they would all die. It was now or never.

And their chance finally came. One of the Yiga soldiers returned to the room where they were being held. His mask was removed, and he was grinning stupidly at his phone held in one hand, while the other had a half peeled banana, which he took a large bite out of. He didn't even glance in their direction as he made his way to sit on the other side of the room where he kicked his feet up on the table and finished his banana, still watching his phone.

Aryll glanced at Mipha, hesitant, but found reassurance in Mipha's confident gaze. She sucked in a quiet breath and moved her gaze back to the Yiga guard, then promptly fell to the floor. The guard glanced over at them as Mipha hurried to Aryll's side in concern. He sighed and spoke into the radio on the table.

"One of those girls just passed out," he said in a bored tone.

"What do you mean she passed out?" came the response on the radio.

"I dunno," he said. "She's unconscious. What do you want me to do?"

"Boss wants them alive. Fix it."

He frowned. "That's more work than I agreed to."

"Stop being an idiot," the voice hissed. "Do what you want afterwards, but keep them alive."

This seemed to be incentive enough for the guard. With another sigh on the edge of a groan, he got up and made his way to the cell.

"Back against the wall," he instructed Mipha. Mipha silently obeyed, pressing her back against the hard wall as the guard entered the cell. He got into a squatting position as he looked over Aryll for a moment.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, though his tone suggested he did not care.

Mipha's gaze narrowed on him. "She probably has a brain bleed," she snarled at him.

"Hmph. What would you know?"

"I am a nurse. I can fix her if you let me."

He shook his head. "Nothing I can't handle," he said arrogantly. "Don't move."

Mipha watched as he continued to check over Aryll, then promptly set to work on healing her. As he worked, Mipha quietly slipped off her belt. She held the leather in her hands behind her back, waiting for her moment to strike. Aryll's eyes fluttered open and the guard stopped working. As long as she was conscious, that was all the healing she needed.

Aryll, however, thrust a fist towards him, but he was quick to catch her wrist, and she yelped in pain, the bone still fractured. He grinned down at her as he thrust her arm to the floor, pinning her.

"Nice try, you little bitch," he hissed at her.

That was all the distraction Mipha needed. She lunged at him and brought the belt around his neck, pulling tightly against him and dragging him backwards on top of her. She grunted under his weight as they fell, but did not release her grip. He clawed at the belt in surprise for a moment, then thrust his arm aside, causing the ground to tremble in an attempt to weaken her hold.

Aryll sprang on top of him and pinned his arms to the ground in hopes of preventing him from further attacking. He started to gasp and choke as his airway was cut short, which likely weakened him. She knew she was not strong enough to fight him off, but his weakened state came to her advantage, and within moments, the Yiga fell into unconsciousness.

Mipha hesitated as Aryll stepped away from him. He was not moving, but she wasn't completely convinced. She waited another moment before letting her hold loosen, then let the belt drop to the ground. Still, the guard did not move. Aryll kicked at his gut, but he gave no response, which was confirmation enough for Mipha. She let her fingers rest on his neck, searching for a pulse, but the Yiga guard was dead.

Mipha pulled her hand away slowly, her face whitening. "I killed him," she said softly.

Aryll hesitated, her lips pressed together. "Let's get out of here," she said after a moment, reaching for Mipha's hand and pulling her out of the cell.

They moved to the table where they quickly grabbed anything the could use as a weapon, including the guard's own blade.

"This was the easy part, you know," Aryll muttered. "We have no idea where Link is or how to find him." She met Mipha's gaze. "And we don't stand a chance against a group of Yiga soldiers on the hunt for us."

"We'll wing it," Mipha said. "Link always did."

"And did that ever work out for you guys?" Aryll asked skeptically.

"Not really," Mipha mumbled. "Got him gutted once or twice. We won't be so lucky."

Aryll pulled her gaze away. "You're right."

Mipha hesitated, immediately regretting what she said. "We'll figure this out," she said in an attempt to reassure Aryll. She shrugged. "You're with a Champion, after all. I've gotten through worse."

"Yeah," Aryll said softly. She sucked in a breath, her expression hardening. "Well. I'm sure as fuck not dying here. So, let's do this."


	18. Chapter 18

Aryll and Mipha moved quickly and quietly through the base, keeping close to the walls and quickly inspecting every empty room they passed. When they reached a split in the corridor, they listened closely for motion before peering around the corner. To their left, the corridor moved away slightly before ending at a door. There was a window beside the door where they could clearly see various monitors. A Yiga soldier was leaning back in a chair, his feet kicked up on the desk with a banana in one hand and a magazine in the other. After a moment, he moved to grab a radio and spoke into it. His gaze moved to the monitor, and his eyes narrowed.

"Shit," Mipha spat. She grabbed Aryll's uninjured wrist and pulled her past the security room and further down the corridor. "We don't have a lot of time."

From somewhere further down the corridor, they could hear a radio crackle to life. "The girls got out," the voice hissed. "Find them!"

Footsteps echoed off the walls as Yiga soldiers broke into a run. Mipha pulled Aryll hurriedly through a closed door, praying for the best, and they stumbled into a seemingly empty, dark room. They pressed themselves against the wall, listening as Yiga soldiers ran passed the room, unaware of their presence, and they let out a breath of relief.

"They'll find us," Mipha said quickly. "We need to go." She moved to open the door, but Aryll stopped her, grabbing her arm. When Mipha turned to question her, Aryll was jogging across the room.

She hurried towards Link, dropping to her knees and immediately fumbling with the restraints around his wrists. She gave up quickly and instead grabbed at his face when she realized he hadn't acknowledged her.

"Link? Link!" She pulled his chin up, and he blinked blankly at her. "Are you okay?"

Link sighed and pulled his head out of her grip. He grunted weakly in response, but made no further effort to converse with his sister. He didn't even look up when Mipha found her way to him.

"You look like shit," she muttered as she turned her attention back to the restraints. She inspected them for a moment before getting back to her feet and looking quickly around the room. "Hold on," she said as she moved towards the table across the room. "I'll get you out of this."

Mipha pressed her hand against Link's cheek. "I can't heal you," she said softly. "Can you move?" But Link still did not respond.

Aryll inspected the items scattered across the table until her eyes landed on two, pick-like objects. She snatched them up quickly and moved to pick the locks of the restraints. Within a few minutes, all four clasps were opened and Link stumbled forward onto his knees, weak under his own weight. Aryll and Mipha quickly helped him to his feet, allowing him to lean on them slightly as he steadied himself.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Aryll asked carefully.

"I'm fine," he finally muttered. He could feel the anger start to rise. He turned his attention to his sister, meeting her gaze in an attempt to calm himself. He still had his doubts on whether they were real or just part of another hallucination, but if he was going to die anyway, he could at least die thinking he was being saved. He could die seeing them both one last time. He would play into the dream and allow himself that one last bit of hope.

"Are you okay?" he asked weakly.

Aryll forced a smile. "I've definitely had better days," she muttered.

"Can you walk?" Mipha asked.

Link hesitated as his gaze fell on her. He nodded silently. Feeling some of his strength return to him, he moved away from their support and towards the table, searching for anything he could use as a weapon. He selected a few of the sharper looking knives and pocketed them, handing one to Aryll. She took it hesitantly.

"I hope you don't expect me to use this," she muttered.

"Hopefully you won't have to," Link said simply. He turned his gaze to Mipha, who was still holding the guard's blade. She was staring at it hesitantly, and Link took it from her.

"I'll do what I can," Link continued in hopes of reassuring them.

"Let's just get out of here," Mipha muttered.

"Yeah, but how?" Aryll asked. "We have no idea where we are, and I doubt we'll find any neon exit signs." She rolled her eyes and blew her hair out of her face. "Plus, they're kinda hunting us right now."

"Perfect," Link muttered. But they didn't have a chance to plan further as the door swung open. He pushed Mipha and Aryll behind him as Yiga soldiers quickly filled the room. They were armed with various weapons from guns to knives and other deadly looking blades, though they did not draw upon their pistols or rifles. Instead, they drew their blades and pressed in around the three escapees.

If they didn't resort to using their guns - which Link thought was a safe assumption, as they needed him alive - that left them with only their blades and their own Sheikah power. He supposed he'd have a fighting chance if they only used their weapons, but it seemed unlikely given their unique abilities that they would not resort to such tactics.

Despite this, they didn't seem willing to give themselves the advantage of using their power. Instead, they lunged at him with their blades drawn. Link was able to dodge the first couple with ease, using his strength to keep himself between the Yiga and Mipha and Aryll. When the next one lunged at him, he blocked the blow with Mipha's stolen blade. He struggled under the weight of the Yiga for a moment before throwing himself forward and dislodging the attack. Two more lunged at him then, and with a weapon in each hand, he just barely managed to throw them off of him as well.

He couldn't defend them for much longer, however, and the Yiga knew this as his energy quickly drained. They continued to lunge at him, and as he slowed, they found their opening, taking both Aryll and Mipha in their clutches. The two Yiga soldiers that held them quickly backed off as more of their comrades closed in around Link. He fought them off desperately, only noticing then as a radio crackled to life.

"The ward has been dropped!"

That was why the Yiga weren't using their powers; a ward was put up, either around the entire base, or just the room where they kept him. It took him only a split second to come to this realization, and he threw himself against the Yiga soldiers blocking his way, knocking them to the ground. In the same moment as they fell, he grabbed one of the guns from their holster and fired four quick shots at the two soldiers that held Aryll and Mipha. Though the shots weren't fatal, they loosened their hold on the two girls as they stumbled back and fell to the ground, clutching at the wounds on their legs.

Mipha and Aryll scrambled towards Link as he got up and fired several more times at the Yiga around them. A few of his shots were fatal, while the others merely wounded his enemy. Before he had a chance to empty the clip, however, the remaining live Yiga soldiers promptly disappeared with a crack in the air, leaving the three escapees alone to catch their breaths.

Link cursed under his breath. He quickly grabbed another weapon from one of the lifeless bodies, then pushed Aryll and Mipha forward, escaping the room while they had a chance. He knew the Yiga soldiers would be back, and in greater numbers, but he wasn't about to wait around and let them corner them again.

It seemed as if a majority of the Yiga guards in the base had gone together to try to keep the escapees from freeing their captive, and with some of them temporarily disposed of, it left the base relatively empty, leaving Link, Mipha, and Aryll able to move freely about as they tried to navigate their way to an exit. They moved quickly, stepping lightly as they neared each break in a corridor or a room with an opened door.

They were starting to feel good about their escape when they came to a large, round room. Sunlight streamed in through makeshift windows high up on the walls, and a hot breeze greeted them from an opening across the way. The exit, however, was heavily guarded by more Yiga soldiers, bringing their escape to an abrupt end.

Link moved his gaze over the eagerly approaching soldiers. They were surrounded. To Link's dismay, each one was armed appropriately with some sort of gun in their clutches, ranging from handguns to automatic rifles, though he knew they wouldn't rely on such simple weaponry when their own powers could do so much more. And he didn't think it likely they would kill them, given what Kohga had said to him before, but he was sure that they would do everything in their power to stop them. It didn't seem likely they would be getting any further.

He felt the rage start to boil inside him once more. It built up quickly within him, taking over before he had a chance to try to stop it. The darkness took control in his mind, freely moving his body. The world seemed to move in slow motion around him as he stepped forward, grabbing two more knives from the table and plunging one into the closest soldier. He ducked as he did so, narrowly avoiding a counter attack and twisting around to plunge the second knife into the next soldier.

He yanked each of the knives out, tossing one across the way where it struck between the eyes of another Yiga soldier, and plunging the other one into another nearby soldier. He spun around as they quickly enclosed him, grabbing at the gun of one of the fallen soldiers with one hand and yanking the knife out with the other. He slashed the knife across another body as they pressed in, then cocked the gun and fired at another. He ducked down when they lunged at him, swinging a leg around to knock one off his feet, and fired another shot into the group.

Before he knew what was happening – and seemingly just as quickly as it began – the battle was over. Each of the Yiga Clan soldiers lay lifeless or unconscious around Link. He still gripped the gun in his hand as the darkness in him subsided and his awareness returned once more. Back to his normal self, he looked around him in shock at the damages he had caused. His eyes moved over the bodies before finally settling on Mipha and Aryll. Their mouths hung open in confusion and horror, stepping back slightly as Link regarded them.

Link pocketed the gun he held and tore his gaze away. It occurred to him, then, that he was not hallucinating, and the world around him was very real. He stared at the bodies around him and his stomach knotted sickeningly. His gaze caught as one began to shift and moan.

"Let's go," he muttered, stepping over them and moving forward. He didn't look to see if Mipha or Aryll were following him, and though they hesitated, exchanging unsure glances, they hurried after him until they were safely away from the remaining Yiga Clan soldiers.

To his surprise, when they stepped out of the Yiga hideout, they seemed to be somewhere deep within Gerudo Desert. The only thing he knew about the desert was that it was vast and uninhabited due to its harsh climates and unpredictable sandstorms. Getting out of the Yiga Clan hideout was child's play in comparison to getting out of the desert alive, with even no clue which way to head.

"You have got to be kidding me," Aryll muttered. "We're going to die out here."

Link was sure of one thing, though; they had to get as far away from the Yiga Clan hideout as they could before anyone else found them. He turned his gaze to the horizon. He had lost all sense of time while he was held captive, but now that they were outside, he could see that the sun was just starting to begin its descent, which meant that that particular direction would bring them east. And east would, eventually, bring them out of the desert.

Without a word, he set forth in an eastern direction. They moved as quickly as they could away from the Yiga Clan hideout, keeping as close to the walls of the canyon as they could before making the hike over the small mountain range and into the heart of the desert. By the time they reached the flat, sandy landscape of the desert, the sun had almost completely set, and the bitter chill of the night had settled on the breeze.

"It's going to get cold," Mipha said. "We can't be out here all night."

It was the first time they had really spoken since their escape a few hours prior, and Mipha's voice caused Link to jump.

"Where do you expect us to go?" he snapped at her.

Mipha hesitated. "I just mean… we need to figure something out."

"How big is this desert, anyway?" Aryll asked. "We could be out here for days."

"Try months," Mipha muttered.

Aryll turned and stared blankly at her. "Months?"

"Well," Mipha continued, hesitant. "I mean, if you walked like, end to end, the longest part of the desert, without stopping to rest… yeah. Like, two or three months, probably."

Aryll turned her gaze to her brother, who had stopped walking. "We're going to die out here," she said softly.

"Shut up," Link hissed at her over his shoulder. "Just let me fucking think."

"Don't worry," Aryll muttered. "You have three months to fucking think."

"Don't test me, Aryll," he warned her.

"Or what? You're going to turn all fucking Hulk and just kill us all now?"

Link spun on his heels and sneered at her, and Aryll took a step back.

His heart dropped as he watched the fear flash on his sister's face. He quickly turned back to his anger, however, and his nails dug into the palms of his clenched hands. He turned back around and swore under his breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to calm himself. He needed to think. He needed a plan to get them out alive.

"Link…" Aryll's voice shook softly. "What -"

"Let's just keep moving," he said quickly. He hesitated before moving forward again. "How cold are we talking?"

"Well," Mipha started slowly. "We're not quite in the warmest months, but I don't suspect it will get too cold. At least in the forties."

"I thought deserts were hot," Aryll muttered.

"Yeah, during the day," Mipha said. "But because it's so dry, there's no moisture to retain the heat -"

"Look, man, I don't need the textbook answer. I'm not about that life anymore."

Mipha sighed. "You sound like your brother."

"My grades are way better," Aryll said. "I'm just on summer vacation. I don't want to think."

"How's that working for you?" Link muttered.

Aryll frowned. "I've done more thinking this week than I have all year." She perked up momentarily, however. "But it was my thinking that came up with our awesome escape plan."

"Yeah," Link said slowly. He was finding Aryll's chattiness comforting in that moment. "How did you manage that one?"

"Oh, you know," she said with a shrug. "We pulled the classic 'captive needs medical assistance' trope. It helped that our guard was an idiot stuffing his face with a damn banana." She skipped forward to catch up to Link as she animatedly told her tale. "I just dropped to the ground and pretended to be unconscious, yanno? And he came in all like, what the fuck, man. And when he was trying to heal me, I punched him in the face! And he thought he had outsmarted me and pinned me to the ground, but it was just a distraction, and Mipha choked him out with her belt and killed him!"

Link glanced towards Mipha, but she was looking down at her feet. "You're awfully enthused about it all considering you were their fucking captive."

Aryll fell quiet for a moment, then shrugged. "It's the adrenaline," she said. "I'm sure once we get home, if we ever do, it will hit me like a train and then I'll go into shock or something." She turned to Mipha. "Right? I learned about that in some stupid health class or something."

"Yeah," Mipha said softly. "That happens in trauma victims."

"Hear that? We're trauma victims, now."

Link sighed. "Please stop talking."

Aryll narrowed her gaze on him. "Why? So we can all wallow in silence, left alone to our thoughts, and go crazy out here in this forsaken desert where we'll probably all die?"

"Yes, please. I'd like to die in peace, without your annoying voice."

"How the hell did you save the world with that attitude?"

"I had a different attitude back then," Link said. "This one is what you get when all the trauma is over. You'll be next. Welcome to my hell."

Aryll frowned, but said nothing more. The sun had officially set, blanketing the world in darkness. To their relief, the full moon was large and bright enough to shed some light on the empty desert. But the night did bring on a chill that was enough to cause them to shiver without any sort of outer clothing to protect them.

Link pulled Aryll closer to him in an attempt to keep her warm. Mipha stayed close on his other side, and the three of them walked like that through most of the night, chatting quietly every now and then. They had no idea what time it was, but it seemed late, assuming they had been walking for several hours already. Aryll could barely keep her own eyes opened, and she tripped on her own feet from time to time, bumping into her brother. It wasn't until Mipha finally insisted that they stop until morning that Link agreed, and they settled in for the remainder of the night on the desert sands.

With her head in Mipha's lap and Mipha softly running her hands through her hair, Aryll quickly fell asleep. Link sat closely beside her, wrapping his arms around his knees.

"You should get some rest, too," Mipha said softly.

Link shook his head. "I'm fine."

Mipha's brows furrowed. "When was the last time you slept?"

Link shrugged. "I honestly couldn't tell ya."

"You need sleep," Mipha said sternly. "Sleep deprivation can kill you."

"I'm fine," he said through his teeth. "Besides. For all we know, they've been following us. Someone needs to keep watch."

Mipha sighed softly, then patted her lap. "I can take first shift."

Link hesitated, meeting her gaze. In truth, he was terrified of sleeping, a part of him still convinced that it was all a hallucination and he would wake up back in the Yiga Clan hideout. And even if that weren't the case, he was sure that the nightmares he seemed to be finally free of would make their way back to him, thanks to this new trauma that would surely renew his old and tired PTSD.

Still, Mipha was right, and he knew there was no sense arguing with her. If he could at least get a couple hours of sleep, it would be better for him in the long run, especially if they found themselves confronted by the Yiga Clan again. He did his best to settle in for the night, and he closed his eyes.


	19. Chapter 19

It was all a hallucination. A nightmare. He knew it before he even opened his eyes. He could feel the all too familiar ache in his neck. The skin on his ankles and wrists were rubbed raw from the restraints, and he could feel the warmth of fresh blood drip down his skin as the wounds reopened. His eyes opened, and he slowly lifted his chin to find himself in the same room he had been in for… days? Weeks? Months? He couldn't be sure.

Was this how his father had felt when he was their captive? Or, was he not their captive at all? At some point, Kohga had seemingly admitted to killing him. But that had to have been a lie; his father commanded his son's death himself. So, then, why was he still alive? He couldn't remember what happened between then and now, or how long it had been since his interaction with his father. Perhaps he had it all backwards. Instead, it seemed more likely that this was the death his father had ordered; the slow and painful process of tainting the Triforce and turning him against Hyrule. Surely that was the death they had planned for him.

Somewhere in their hideout, Aryll and Mipha were still captives, or probably already dead. If it had been more than a week, Link was sure his disappearance had already gotten to Zelda. She would do everything in her power to find him. That was just what the Yiga wanted - for her to walk right into their hands. She, too, would undergo the same torment that Link had endured. They would both fall to the darkness, and it would be over for them and all of Hyrule. It was as simple as that. He had failed in his duty to protect the kingdom; to protect his friends. To protect Mipha and Aryll.

He felt the darkness begin to resurface, even without the pain of an injection. It overwhelmed him quickly and violently. It was the end for him. The Yiga Clan had one. And that was his final thought.

He jolted upright suddenly, gasping desperately for air, then promptly vomited on the ground. He stayed on his hands and knees for a moment until his breathing slowed, then he spat before getting back to his feet, swaying slightly. He blinked quickly as his eyes adjusted to the early light of the rising sun, then he turned his gaze to Mipha and Aryll as they watched him with concern.

Already, the air was starting to warm, though it was not warm enough to explain the sweat that drenched his body. And though he didn't particularly feel cold, he still shook involuntarily. He jumped slightly when he felt Mipha's hands on his arm, and within moments, he had started to feel a little better. His stomach, at the very least, had settled, and his mind felt a little clearer. He checked his wrists and saw that the skin was new, no longer scarred with the restraints that had held him.

He looked over at his sister, who also seemed a little better than she was when they stopped for the night. He was sure without Mipha's help, they would have fallen to hypothermia. But she couldn't continue to stave it off for days on in; not without exhausting her completely. He knew if she overdid it, it would kill her. They had to get through the desert without her aid for as long as possible.

"Are you alright?" Mipha asked softly.

"We should keep going," Link said quickly.

It didn't take long for the desert to heat up as the sun crested the horizon. It had only been daylight for a couple of hours, and already, the heat was starting to feel unbearable, especially in contrast to the cold night. But they pressed on through the majority of the day until Aryll grew bouncy with excitement.

"Engines! I hear engines!"

They stopped, straining to listen. Link's brows furrowed; he didn't hear anything.

"Aryll, I think you're imagining it," he said. "There's nothing -"

"No, look!" Aryll pointed excitedly. In the distance, they could see a cloud of dust moving across the desert, followed by the faint, yet distinct sound of an engine.

They froze, watching as the vehicle cut across, turning and heading in their direction. They watched, hesitant, as it neared, and eventually, the could clearly see the details of an old truck. Music blared loudly from its open windows. When it got even closer, it slowed until it came to a stop completely, just fifty or so yards away from the three of them. The music lowered after a moment, and then a figure stepped out.

"The fuck are you guys doing way out here?"

Two more figures got out of the truck, curiously. Aryll stepped forward eagerly, despite her brother's warning.

"Having a fucking picnic," she said as she neared them. The three boys were clearly around her age, and they regarded her with raised brows. "How far are we from the interstate?"

The three of them looked to one another for a moment. The first one shrugged. "Couple hours if you drive real fast."

Aryll cocked her head to the side and raised a brow. "How fast can the piece of shit go? Can you take us?"

They looked passed her to Link, and their brows furrowed.

"That's that guy," one of the other guys said to their friend, nudging him. "Link. The Hero dude."

The third one grinned. "If we don't help him, he'll probably kick our asses."

"Yeah," Link said. "I will. My patience is at zero."

"First tell us what the fuck you're doing out here," the first one said.

"And why ya'll look like shit."

Link stepped forward and sneered at them. "If I tell ya, I'd have to kill ya."

They stepped back and nodded quickly.

"Yeah, yeah, alright," the first one said, then rolled his eyes. He thrust a thumb over his shoulder. "Get in the bed."

They quickly jumped into the bed of the truck as the three boys piled into the cab. The music turned on, blaring through the speakers once more, and the engine revved in boyish excitement. The tired of the truck spun in the desert sands before catching traction and the truck shot forward, climbing to speeds faster than it probably should have been pushed.

From time to time as they drove, the boys got rowdy, and they spun the wheels of the truck, causing the vehicle to slide sideways across the sand and spin them around. When this happened, Link banged angrily against the back window, and they shrunk in their seats with dumb grins on their faces.

Within a couple otherwise uneventful hours, they reached the side of the interstate where the truck came to a stop. The young driver leaned out his window as his tree passengers jumped out of the bed of the truck.

"Is this where you want us to drop you?" he asked.

"Unless you want to take us across the kingdom," Link said.

"To Central Hyrule?" He shook his head. "Sorry, man. That's, like, almost a day's drive."

"Yeah," the middle passenger said. "You're mom's already gonna kill ya for coming out here." He grinned as his friend sneered at him.

"Alright, thanks," Link said simply. He turned and started on down the interstate, calling to Aryll and Mipha over his shoulder. "Get your thumbs up."

Aryll thanked the three before hurrying to catch up with her brother. "We're hitchhiking?" she said with a frown.

"Unless you wanna grow wings and fly," he said dryly.

"What if some creeper picks us up?"

"You know who am I, right?"

"You're cocky," Aryll muttered, but he had a point. She didn't think it likely anyone would mess with them. And if they did… well, her brother would probably just turn all dark and crazy again. When were they going to address that elephant in the room, anyway? She certainly wasn't going to do it now, but still, it weighed heavily on her mind.

The interstate wasn't particularly busy this far out in the kingdom, but it didn't take long before a trucker stopped and let them into the cab with him. Like the three boys, he immediately recognized Link, then went on about how he would be an idiot not to help out Hyrule's Chosen Hero. To their relief, he was heading in relatively the same direction, and he agreed to take them straight to the ranch where Link could retrieve his own car.

They drove through the rest of the afternoon and through the night as the trucker told him his many tales of life on the road. Link half listened boredly, his chin in his hand as he watched the world pass by his window. Aryll sat in the back, leaning forward and chatting animatedly with the trucker, asking questions about other places across Hyrule and listening eagerly as he spoke. They stopped a couple of times at truck stops where the trucker treated them to fast food, which the three of them practically devoured. It had been some time since either of them ate, and now that they were out of the desert and out of danger, their hunger had hit them hard.

When the light of day broke the horizon, the trucker pulled into another stop, promising to only need a few hours of sleep before they could take to the road again. While the three of them had drifted off to sleep at some point or another, Link stayed anxiously awake while the others caught a couple hours of rest. It was the perfect opportunity for him to try to collect his thoughts, but he only kept returning to the same conclusion; the Yiga Clan were a problem that needed to be dealt with, and he couldn't possibly do it alone, as much as he wanted to. Every other thought were just unanswered questions that only made his head hurt. Questions about his father, Dorian, Zelda and Roham. Too many secrets kept from him. And there was nothing he could do about it there in that truck, so he tried not to dwell on them and stress himself out more.

One thing was for sure; as soon as he got back to his car, he was going right to the palace to confront Zelda and Roham. He was getting his answers, and he was starting with them.

Within a few hours, they were back on the road, and to Link's relief, they arrived at the ranch just as the sun was starting to dip below the horizon. Just as they stepped foot out of the can, Talon came out of the house, rifle in hand. His eyes widened when he saw the three of them, and he waited with furrowed brows as they approached.

"What the fuck 'appened to y'all?" he said, waving his rifle around as he spoke angrily. "Those horses came back without ya and I 'adn't 'eard from ya since! I searched the whole damn property thinkin' y'all got yaselvs inta trouble. Couldn't even answer a damn phone? Wassa matta with ya, son? It's been two damn weeks!"

"Will you put that damn thing away?" Link hissed at him.

"I will not! I oughta shoot ya, boy! Damn near gave me a 'eart attack! Damn cops probably think I got the lot of ya buried somewhere out back, like I'm some kinda psycho!" When Link did not respond, he pressed further. "Are ya at least gonna give me some ansas?"

"If I had answers, I would," Link said. "I'm sorry, Talon. Really. But we need to get back to the city."

Talon held his gaze on him. "This some hero business?"

"Yeah," he breathed out. "Maybe. Something like that."

This seemed to be enough for the old rancher. "A'ight," he said slowly. "Fine, fine. Jest don't get yaselves killed now, k?" He watched as they piled into the car. "And at least give me a damn heads up or somethin'!"

"My phone!" Aryll exclaimed from the back seat, though she frowned when she realized it was dead. "I never thought I could miss a phone so much," she muttered. She squeezed between Link and Mipha to reach the cord to charge her phone. When it turned on, the surplus of notifications was enough to almost kill her phone once more. She checked her messages quickly and bit her lower lip.

"Damn," she said. "I think the whole fucking kingdom is looking for us."

"Great," Link muttered. He didn't want to even think about charging up his phone, still sitting in the center console where he left it. It was the last thing on his mind, anyway.

"Are we going home, now?" Aryll asked softly.

"Sure," Link said. His brows knit together as he stared out the windshield. "Just after I have a word with Roham."

Mipha glanced at him, hesitant. "Do you think he knows something?"

"I know he knows a lot more than he's leading us to believe," Link said through his teeth.

Mipha hesitated. "Do you think Zelda knows something, too?"

Link's lips pressed together. He trusted Zelda. He was sure if she suspected something was wrong, she would have confided in him. He didn't want to think that someone so close to him was also lying and keeping secrets, but in that moment, he couldn't be sure one way or another.

"I don't know," he said softly. "I don't think so."

"She wouldn't keep anything from us," Mipha said, more in an attempt to reassure them both of their doubts. "Not after everything we've been through."

"We'll see soon enough," was his only response.


	20. Chapter 20

Link ignored the security guards shouting behind him as he took the steps two at a time and burst angrily through the double doors. Zelda and Roham were both standing before him as he made his abrupt entrance, causing him to stop short and allow the guards to pull him backwards.

Zelda stared at Link in shock for a moment before turning her attention to the guards. "What's the meaning of this? Release him."

Link pulled his arm angrily out of their loosened grips and moved towards Roham, a snarl on his face.

"Link," he said cautiously. "You look like shit."

Zelda's gaze narrowed on him. "Where the hell have you been?"

But Link ignored her, getting in Roham's face. "Oh, do I?" Link snapped. "Funny, I was just enjoying a nice vacation for the last couple of weeks."

Roham raised a brow as Link continued.

"Yeah, we had a damn nice time with the fucking Yiga Clan."

"What are you talking about?" Zelda said.

Link turned his attention to Zelda. "It was great. They ambushed us, kidnapped us, and tortured me, all thanks to you."

Zelda's eyes widened. "What?"

"How long were you going to lie to me?" he barked at her.

"Link -"

"You dare accuse your queen?" Roham snapped.

"The Yiga Clan tried to kill us," Link spat. "And they had some nice stories to share, too."

"Zelda did not lie to you," Roham hissed at Link.

"You're the reason my father is dead!" Link barked.

Zelda looked between Link and her father. "What the fuck is going on?"

But Roham said nothing for a moment, holding his gaze on Link. "Perhaps we should discuss this in private." He turned his gaze to the weapon in his pocket. "Leave it."

Link held his gaze as he took the weapon out of his pocket. He let the clip drop into his palm, then released the bullet in the chamber. He dropped the weapon carelessly and it clattered loudly against the floor.

Without another word, Roham turned away from them and headed down the hall. Zelda hesitated, her gaze moving over her friends before she followed her father. Link turned to follow suit, hissing to his sister over his shoulder as she too, tried to follow.

"Stay."

Mipha stared at the weapon on the floor. Aryll stopped in her tracks and watched as her brother disappeared around the corner.

Link followed Zelda and Roham until they were alone in the nearby library, the double doors closed to outside listeners.

"Are you going to try to tell me that they lied to me?" Link said to Roham.

"No," Roham said simply. "I'm sure what they told you is the truth."

"They murdered him," he snarled.

Roham hesitated. He spoke slowly. "Yes. They did."

Link kicked at a nearby chair. "He lied to me. You lied to me!"

"I did what had to be done. The duties of the men in my army are of no concern to you."

"The war was over!"

"The war is far from over, Link. The Yiga Clan are a threat that need to be dealt with." He hesitated. "Your father did what he had to do to protect you and Aryll."

But this did not calm the rage boiling inside of him. Link's hands balled into fists, his knuckles turning white. It took all his strength to keep himself from attacking the chair once more. He turned his attention to Zelda.

"Did you know?"

Zelda shook her head. "I swear, Link. I had no idea."

"What are you going to do about this?" he said through gritted teeth.

Zelda hesitated. She turned her gaze to her father.

"Zelda," Roham started. "Please understand -"

"Get out," Zelda said, her voice strong. "You are not Hyrule's leader any more. This does not concern you."

Roham held his gaze on his daughter. "Don't be foolish, Zelda."

"Leave," she said.

Roham met Link's gaze one last time before leaving them alone in the library. Once the doors were closed again, Zelda let herself relax, her hand flying up to her forehead.

"Link," she started. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea what was going on. He kept this all from me." She dropped her hand and met his gaze, her face apologetic. "Your father... I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

Link turned his gaze away from her. "I need to know whose side you're on."

"I'm on your side," she said confidently. "I'm always on your side."

"I don't care what it takes," he said, his voice softer. "I will destroy them all."

"Don't be rash," she said. "We will figure this out, but we can't go in guns blazing." She hesitated, looking him over. "What... what did they do to you?"

"Oh, you know," Link muttered. "We had fucking tea."

Zelda sighed softly and turned her gaze away from him. "Link -"

"I'm going home," he said, turning to her. "I'm having a drink. I'm taking a shower. And then we can talk about this. I'll text you later."

Zelda nodded. "Alright." She followed Link out of the library back to where Mipha and Aryll were waiting.

Link grabbed his gun from the nearby guard, shoving the clip back into place in the weapon. Without another word, he turned away from them and made his way back outside.

Zelda met Mipha's gaze for a moment. "I'm glad you're both okay."

Mipha averted her gaze, however. She hadn't seen Zelda since… well, since she and Aryll apparently interrupted their plans of hooking up.

Aryll rolled her eyes. "If you ask Link, he'll deny it, but we were totally the heroes this time."

Zelda forced a smile. She watched as Mipha pulled Aryll outside to follow Link.

They drove home in silence. Mipha sat uncomfortably in the front seat, casting her gaze onto Link every so often, but his expression was stone, focused only on the road. From the back seat, Aryll eyed the gun at his side wearily. She had never truly known what her brother was capable of, and the events of the last day proved to her that he was not the same man she had grown to know.

"Link," she started softly, unable to forget what he had said to Roham. "What happened to Dad?"

Link did not answer his sister. He kept his hard gaze on the road, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the steering wheel harder than he realized. No one spoke again until they pulled into the driveway. Link cut the engine, but made no motion to get out of the vehicle. After a moment, he regarded his sister from the corner of his eye.

"Get in the house," Link said, his voice hard. "Now."

Aryll hesitated, turning her gaze to Mipha, before stepping out of the car and leaving them alone.

"Link-" Mipha breathed. It felt like she had been holding her breath the whole ride, and only now was she able to relax enough to speak.

"Listen," he said, more harshly than he had intended. "Aryll doesn't need to know what happened to me."

Mipha hesitated. "What happened?" she asked slowly.

Link kept his gaze ahead out the windshield. "I can't control it, Mipha. I'm sorry."

Her heart thudded in her chest and her mind ran wild as she tried to guess at what had happened. "What? What is it?"

Link shook his head, his eyes closing for a moment. "I don't know. It's... complicated."

"What did they do to you?" Her voice shook.

"They've been injecting me with... something dark. Something bad. I don't know, Mipha." He hesitated. "It's supposed to... they mean to use me. To turn me against Hyrule. This stuff... it's supposed to darken the Triforce and turn me into one of their own. They plan to use me and Zelda to resurrect Ganondorf once more, then give him our pieces of the Triforce. They believe with the pieces darkened – without them being pure – it will allow Ganondorf to use its full power without the pieces breaking." He paused for a moment. "I can't control what is happening to me. Eventually, I might not turn back to normal. I don't know how long I have until that happens."

Mipha stared at him, unable to speak as she processed all that he told her. She turned her gaze to her feet, flinching slightly as he abruptly got out of the car. She quickly followed him outside where he paced for a moment in front of the car.

"What happened to him?" she asked softly.

His pacing stopped and he hesitated, looking down at the ground. He was sure now that his earlier interaction with his father was just a hallucination, since Roham admitted to his murder. "They murdered him. He went after the Yiga Clan and they killed him."

Mipha hurried to him, wrapping her arms around him as she cried softly against him. He was stiff for a moment before his arms hugged her tightly.

"I… We could have stopped this." His voice broke as he spoke. "We could have done something. But they went… they went behind my back."

Mipha pushed away, wiped at her eyes, and met his gaze. "What are you going to do?" She was sure she knew the answer.

Link's gaze hardened. "I will destroy them."

Mipha hesitated and broke her gaze. "We can't go back there," she said. "We don't stand a chance against them."

Link said nothing. She was right, after all. He wiped at his eyes and made his way into the house where Aryll was anxiously waiting. She looked at her brother expectantly, but he did not regard her. Instead, he made his way to the fridge to get himself a beer.

"What… what are we going to do?" Aryll asked, her voice shaking.

Link's brows furrowed. "I don't know," he said softly.

Aryll looked down at her wrist, inspecting it. She rotated it carefully and found it was as good as new, thanks to Mipha's healing. Still, the events of the last week were scarred into her memory. And it was only now that she was safe at home did she start to feel the terror of the situation creep up on her. She looked up when she felt Mipha's arm on her shoulder, only noticing then that she was shaking. She let herself drop onto the couch and Mipha pulled her into her arms. Aryll leaned against her and closed her eyes as Mipha ran her fingers through her hair.

Mipha turned a concerned gaze to Link. He frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose, then rubbed his face with his palms. He felt completely useless. Though he hated to admit it, he could not protect them. There was nothing he could do. He had to go back to Zelda for help. He needed to call on his friends.

He finished his beer quickly, then opted to take a shower in a desperate attempt to wash his problems away. Or, at the very least, not look as if he were on the brink of death. When he got out, he threw on fresh clothes, then made his way to his father's bedroom where he stopped for a moment outside the closed door. He pushed it open, then headed directly for the closet, where he promptly dug through his father's things until he found the safe he was looking for. He flipped the dial to enter the code and the door opened.

His eyes moved over the various weapons stashed inside. He selected two handguns and slipped a loaded clip into each one. He adjusted a holster across him, and just as Mipha and Aryll stepped curiously into the room, he placed the two weapons inside the holster, each under one arm. He let the door swing closed and pulled out his phone, ignoring their stares. He quickly dialed Daruk's number, regarding them only as he brought the phone to his ear. He spoke as soon as Daruk picked up. "Hey. I need help."

He could hear the concern in his friend's voice. "What's wrong?"

"Can you come over?"

"I'll be right there."

Link ended the call, then moved passed Aryll and Mipha with determination. They followed him quickly back down stairs.

"What are you doing?" Aryll hissed. "What's going on?"

"We're going back to talk to Zelda," Link said simply.

"We are?"

He met his sister's gaze. "Mipha and I are. You're staying here with Daruk."

Aryll hesitated. Her heart raced. "No. Wait. You can't. I don't… I don't want to be alone."

"You won't be," Link said. His tone turned to regret as he looked away from his sister. "Daruk will be able to protect you better than I can."

Aryll's voice lowered. "You're… you're coming right back, right?"

"Yeah." He offered her a smile. "Of course. I promise."

"We can go tomorrow," Mipha said. "We need sleep tonight."

Link hesitated. "We don't have time to waste."

"There's nothing we can do about it tonight," Mipha said. "We're certainly not going back there. Not right now. For the love of Hylia, we just left that fucking hell."

Link was too tired to argue with her. "Fine," he said, turning to the fridge. He needed another beer. He sat himself at the table as he waited for Daruk to show. Mipha and Aryll settled on the couch where Aryll quickly fell asleep on Mipha. Not long after did Daruk walk into the house.

He sat himself in front of Link, staring at him hard. "Dude. Where the fuck have you been?"

Link shrugged and finished his beer. "Thought I'd go off the grid for a bit."

Daruk's gaze moved to the weapons on his friend. "And do some hunting?"

"Something like that," he muttered.

His gaze hardened. "I want answers."

Link shook his head. He rubbed his face with his palms. "I can't right now," he said. "I just need you to stay here with Aryll, alright?" He met Daruk's gaze. "I need you to protect her."

Daruk hesitated. "What the fuck is going on?"

"I'll explain it later," Link said as he got to his feet. He turned his gaze to Mipha, who was regarding him from over the couch. Her brows knit together.

"I thought you agreed to deal with this in the morning?"

"I changed my mind," he said simply. He couldn't stand to sit still in the house, and he just couldn't waste time they clearly didn't have any longer. He pulled his phone out to text Zelda, speaking to Mipha as he did so. "Are you coming?"

Mipha hesitated, but nodded. She carefully moved herself out from under Aryll, then joined Link at his side.

Daruk crossed his arms. "You know," he started. "I will do anything for you, and I would never in a million years tell you you owe me, but man, you definitely fucking owe me an explanation."

"Yeah," Link said with a small smile. "As soon as I get answers, you'll be the first to know."

Daruk bit his lip. "Should I be expecting an attack?"

"I hope not," Mipha said in an exhausted tone.

Link turned his gaze to his sleeping sister. "Keep an eye on her."

"Two," Daruk said with a nod.


	21. Chapter 21

It was after midnight when Link and Mipha got back to the palace. Zelda pulled her robe tightly around her as she strode towards them. "You better have a good reason for waking me up," she muttered. She yawned as she stopped before them. They looked equally as tired as her, but the lines in their faces were creased with worry and fear. They looked about the same as when she had seen them a few hours prior, except they were somewhat cleaner. Link's hands were shoved into the pockets of a leather jacket, which she suspected was mostly to cover the weapon he still kept on him. Based on his expression, it didn't seem likely he would be removing it any time soon. Her brows furrowed. "What's going on?"

"We need to talk," Link said sternly. "About the Yiga Clan."

Zelda hesitated. She looked around them quickly. Though the room seemed empty, she knew they couldn't speak so openly. "Come on," she said, her voice hushed. "Follow me." She moved quickly through the dark hallways with Link and Mipha on her heels. They moved almost silently up the staircase and down another hallway before Zelda slipped into a room at the far end of the hallway. She closed the door behind them before moving to the center of the room. Except for a few book cases and stacks of boxes, the room was relatively empty.

"What's happening?" she asked, turning to them.

And Link explained what had happened. Everything from their kidnap, to the injections, and their eventual escape. Zelda listened intently as he spoke, but said nothing for a long moment when he finished. She turned her gaze to the solitary window, open to the glow of the moon, the only source of light in the room.

"They'll be looking for me next," she said softly. "My father... he couldn't have known about all this. If he knew they were such a threat... that my life was in danger..."

"He knows something," Link said, his gaze narrowing on her. "We need answers.

"I'll try to talk to him," she said, meeting his gaze. "I'll talk to Impa."

"If they haven't said anything by now, what makes you think they'll tell you the truth?" Mipha asked coolly.

"I don't know," Zelda admitted, averting her gaze. "Perhaps they won't. But leave that to me." She met Link's gaze. "In the meantime, we can't do this alone. If we're going to take on the Yiga Clan and stop them, we'll need all the help we can get."

"Absolutely not," Link barked. "That's out of the question."

"Well, no offense," Zelda started, crossing her arms. "But without that sword, you're useless to me. And if you think I'm going to rely on some former hero who's been turned to the dark side, you're clearly insane." She dropped her arms and pulled her shoulders back. "I have a kingdom to protect."

"To protect from an evil that only you and I can stop."

"It seems to me that right now, you're the evil that Hyrule needs protection from."

Without hesitation, Link let his fist fly into the wall, shattering his knuckles. Blood coated his hands quickly and stained the crevices in the hole in the wall. He fumed angrily, his teeth clenched together. "Fuck you."

"What do you want me to say, Link?" Her voice sounded apologetic. "In the state you're in, you pose a threat to Hyrule. As it's queen, I cannot sit by and allow the darkness to take over. I will do everything in my power to fix this and to fix you, but..." She hesitated.

"What are you going to do?" he sneered. "Lock me in a dungeon?"

"Well, we don't typically call them dungeons anymore."

"You are not dragging anyone into this."

"I can't very well do this on my own."

"You'll need me," he said. "I'm not useless."

Zelda's voice lowered, her gaze softened. "What happens when we lose you, Link? When you betray us all?"

Link grit his teeth together. He inspected his broken knuckles. "Kill me," he muttered. "But I will destroy the Yiga Clan first."

Zelda sighed softly through her nose. She held her gaze on him. "I'll call the Champions together," she said. "We'll discuss it together and figure out what to do about it. I'll try to get as much information as I can."

"Fine," Link said bitterly. He didn't pull back when Mipha took him by the wrist and healed his hand. When she was finished, he glanced at Zelda one last time before leaving her alone in the dark room.

Zelda stood quietly in the dark for a moment until she allowed herself to relax. She jumped slightly when Impa appeared in the doorway, then narrowed her gaze on the old Sheikah.

"I told you not to go after the Yiga Clan," Impa hissed at her. "You need to convince him not to go."

"This is Link we're talking about," Zelda said flatly. "There's no convincing him."

"You're not exactly trying to steer him away."

"My concern is with the darkness that has corrupted him," she said. "If we don't find a way to fix it, he will turn on us all."

"Fix him," Impa snapped. "But stay away from the Yiga Clan. I won't say it again."

"I can't stop him. What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Don't go after him."

Zelda hesitated, holding her gaze on Impa. "If he goes -"

"If he goes he will die," Impa snapped. "If you try to save him, you will die, too, and the Yiga will get exactly what they want."

"I won't let that happen," Zelda said fiercely. "Someone has to stop them. I don't see you doing anything about it!"

"Don't be a fool, Zelda. You know that's not true."

"How can I know when you won't tell me anything?"

"You need to trust me."

"Trust you?" Zelda raised her voice. "You and my father have been lying to us for years! How do you expect me to trust you?"

Impa frowned. "Please," she said softly. "You cannot get involved with the Yiga Clan, Zelda. That's all I ask of you. You must understand that we've been fighting them since before you were born. All to keep you and Link safe. If you walk right into their hands, all of this will have been for nothing. All the lives sacrificed. Can you really do that? To Link?"

Zelda hesitated, her lips pressed together. "I'm terrified, Impa," she said softly. "Link is the only person I trust."

"That may be," Impa started, "but he is not thinking straight. He puts his trust in you. Don't lead him into more trouble than he needs. Let me deal with this. Focus on fixing him before it's too late." And without another word, she was gone.

Daruk was gone by morning, though not without arguing with Link, who still wouldn't tell him anything, merely stating that he would 'find out soon enough.' For the first time since their abduction, Link turned on his phone and prepared himself for the onslaught of notifications.

The text messages came first. From Zelda, Daruk, Urbosa, and Revali. Even Teba, Riju, and Sidon had tried to get a hold of him. There was a group message as well that they all seemed to be a part of. And then there were the missed calls. Hundreds, it seemed. And not just from his friends, but from Talon, Kit, and Sera. There were quite a few voicemails, too, but he didn't bother listen to them. He was sure they were all the same.

And though he knew everyone was searching, the lack of media coverage shouldn't have surprised him. Like everything else, Roham made sure to keep their abduction a secret. Of course, it wouldn't bode well on his part if all of Hyrule knew their Chosen Hero was missing or in trouble. And at the hands of the Yiga Clan, no less. A group of people that were made to look like nothing more than a mere annoyance, when they were in fact a very dangerous group of rogue Sheikah. Lies, lies, and more lies.

He decided to call Sera. She picked up on the first ring.

"Link, what the fuck? Where have you been?"

"Hey, miss me?"

"You're not fucking funny, man!" Her voice lowered. "The fuck is going on with you?"

"What are you doing?"

"What - what? What am I doing? For the love of - I'm at work! The hell do you think I'm doing?"

Link frowned. He realized then that he had no clue what day it was. Were they even still in the same month he last remembered? Was it still June? "Uh. Sure. Work."

"Yeah, that thing you're gonna be fired from," she hissed.

"Yeah. About that. I need to quit."

Sera was silent for a moment. "What's going on? Are you okay? Will you just talk to me? Shit, Link, no one has heard from you in like, two weeks! I thought you were dead! And you left me here alone at work - I thought I was going to die!"

"That must have been so hard for you," Link said dryly.

"Look. I'm leaving early. Meet me at the bar, alright?"

"But-"

"Be there!" And the call ended.

Mipha's gaze narrowed on him as he stood. "Where are you going?"

"His work wife is pissed at him," Aryll said with a grin. "Tell Sera I said hi."

Mipha frowned. "You're really leaving?"

"Yes," Link said simply. "I have shit to take care of."

"Like what?"

"Like a job to quit."

"A two week absence wasn't enough?"

"I'm hoping if I show up, they'll fire me and then have to pay me a severance."

"I'm glad you have your priorities in order," Mipha said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I need some kind of money coming in while I'm off saving Hyrule again."

"You know," Aryll started, "if things weren't so fucked up right now, you'd make a better Superman than Superman. Corporate slave by day, hero by night."

"I'm hoping they'll make a movie out of my life," Link said bitterly. "Gotta get something out of this, anyway."

"Because peace in Hyrule isn't enough."

"Doesn't pay my bills." He grabbed his keys. "Don't leave the house, got it?"

"What if we're attacked?" Aryll asked.

"Then stay here and survive so I don't have to go searching for you."

"Wouldn't want to put you out," Aryll said. "Would you be okay with it if I blew up the house in the process of trying to survive?"

Link shrugged. "I could collect the insurance money on it. Won't have a mortgage. Yeah, go for it."

He made his way to the office first, making his way straight to his boss's office and avoiding as many people as he could. To his dismay, his boss was not angry, but concerned for his sudden absence, and seemed unwilling to fire him over the matter. To no surprise, his boss was full of his own conspiracies, and pressed Link for information, though Link insisted nothing was going on. He was obviously not convinced, seeing no other logical explanation for his sudden disappearance, and insisted that Link couldn't quit.

So, Link opted to go another route, and inferred that there was something going on, but he couldn't explain the details to him. It was the truth, anyway, and this seemed to please his boss's inner fanboy. And they came to an agreement - a layoff, of sorts, leaving Link free to go about his heroic duties, and able to return to work when he was ready, all the while still having some sort of money coming in. Because, as his boss stated, Aryll still needed to get through one more year of high school.

No one could say his boss wasn't an understanding and considerate man. Off the record, of course. Still, Link didn't press his luck further, quickly thanking him before carefully sneaking out of the office undetected.

His next stop; the bar. It was still early, but he knew Sera would be meeting him there shortly. And he was sure he'd get the same interrogation as he got from everyone else, but there was little he could say to her. He made his way to his usual stool, ignoring Kit's surprised gaze.

"What the fuck, man?" The bar was empty, which was no surprise giving the early time of day, which meant Kit had all the time in the world to press Link for information. He whistled as Link sat. "Where'd ya get that shiner?"

Link grunted his thanks as Kit slid a beer across the counter.

"Did Aryll finally beat you up?" Kit continued with a grin. "I'm sure you had it coming."

"No, but you should see the other guy."

Kit raised a brow. "The fuck happened to you? You were gone for two weeks. Sera wouldn't leave me alone about it. Said you stopped coming to work, and you weren't answering either of our texts."

"I was... busy."

"Busy getting the snot beat out of ya?"

"Something like that."

"So, what happened?"

Link said nothing as he finished his beer. He met Kit's watchful gaze and waved the empty bottle at him.

"Fine," Kit muttered. "But in exchange, I want answers. I know something's going on."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"You've got that determined look on your face."

"I don't have a determined look."

Kit put the next bottle down in front of Link. "You've got that 'I'm the hero and I'm about to kick some bad guy ass' look."

"That's not a look."

"Sure it is. I haven't seen it in some time. But if we're being honest, it didn't look that threatening on that baby face you had back in the day when I'd see it on the news." Kit grabbed a beer for himself, opened it, and took a sip. "You're scarier, now. If you didn't have that nice black and blue, I'd be intimidated."

Link sighed. "It doesn't concern you."

"So, it is hero business, then." He leaned on the counter. "What's going on this time?"

"If I told you, you'd only be in danger."

Kit leaned back and grinned. "Oh, sounds good. Now you gotta tell me."

"Let it go," Link muttered.

"No way," Kit said. "You guys get to have all the fun. I live through your stories, Link. The only thing that gets me through the day is wondering what exciting adventure story you'll have for me. My life is meaningless, Link. I'm begging you to tell me."

"You're pathetic."

"Tell me something I don't know." He finished his beer and waited for Link to finish his. He tossed the two bottles, then turned back to Link. "So, what's a guy gotta do to join the hero team?"

"What's your superpower?"

"I'll give you free beer for life."

Link frowned. "Shouldn't that have been offered to me when I saved the world?"

"Clearly the world isn't out of the woods yet."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"What do I have to do? Jump up and down like a little girl?"

"Yes."

Kit scowled at him. "I'm cutting you off until you tell me."

Link shrugged. "Plenty of other bars around here."

"But will you get the same quality service that you get here?"

"Probably better."

As Link stood, Kit sprawled out against the bar, grabbing at the air with his fingers. "C'mon, Link," he whined. "I won't tell anyone. Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

Link sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're impossible."

"What's a little story gonna hurt, hm?"

Link narrowed his eyes at Kit, but sat back at the bar. "Look," he started. "This is serious."

Kit straightened and nodded, his face serious. "I'm listening. Hit me."

Link shrugged. "You were right."

Kit mouthed his words silently to himself. "About what?" When Link didn't answer, his eyes lit up. "The Yiga Clan?" he shouted, then lowered his voice, his face falling to disappointment. "Did you let the Yiga Clan beat you up?" He didn't wait for Link to respond. "Of course you did, you dumb bastard. You know, I know you don't have your super sword anymore, but come on, man, you're better than that. You can't let a bunch of losers in red tights beat the shit outta ya."

"I don't exactly stand a damn chance, you know."

Kit considered this with a nod. "Guess you'll need all the help you can get."

The door opened before Link could argue, and Sera strode angrily over to him. She sat promptly at the bar and narrowed her gaze on Link, though she spoke to Kit. "Beer. Now."

"Rude," Kit snarled.

"The fuck happened to you?" Sera said, ignoring Kit.

"The Yiga Clan beat the shit out of him," Kit said smugly.

Link shot an angry gaze toward him, and Kit threw his arms in the air defensively. He turned away to get Sera her beer.

Sera's eyes widened. "The Yiga Clan? The fuck is that?"

"They're bad news," Kit said. "Mr. Hero's got some ass kickin' to do."

"For real? Is that why you just disappeared?"

"I never said that," Link muttered.

"You implied it," Kit said.

Sera frowned. "What's going to happen?"

"I don't know," Link said simply. "I'm kind of going rogue, here."

"Rogue?" Kit repeated.

Link's brows furrowed. "Roham has been keeping a lot of secrets."

"Scandalous," Kit said with a grin. "Hyrule would riot if they knew their old king was being so shady."

"What about Zelda?" Sera asked.

"I think he's been lying to her, too."

"So, what exactly is going on?"

Link shook his head. "I only know what I know, and even that isn't much." He sighed. "The Yiga Clan needs to be stopped before they have a chance to undo everything Zelda and I did ten years ago. And that's all I'm going to say about it."

Kit frowned. "So, what? You're taking off to go hunt them down?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Yeah? You and what army?"

"I'm rogue," Link said. "I've got not army."

"And you're gonna die."

"Probably."

"This is stupid," Sera insisted. "You can't do this alone."

"Never mind the fact that the a single Yiga could take him out with a snap of their fingers."

"I'm well aware of my odds," Link said.

"This is suicide," Sera said fiercely.

Link stood. "It doesn't matter. I've gotta take care of them while I still can."

"While you still can?" Sera narrowed her gaze on him. "The fuck does that mean?"

Link sighed. "Stop asking questions," he hissed at them. "You're not supposed to know any of this shit."

"So why you tellin' us?" Kit asked.

"Because I figured I at least owed you a damn explanation. Just leave it alone, alright?"

Kit and Sera fell silent. They exchanged worried glances.

"You know," Link muttered. "I'm not incapable. I saved the world once, didn't I?"

Kit grinned and shrugged with one shoulder. "Alright, Mr. Hero. But when you're ready to admit you need real help, you let me know."

"And what do you think you're gonna do?" Sera sneered.

"I know people," Kit said cryptically. "I can get you things."

"Right," Link said, rolling his eyes. He turned to leave the bar. "Stay out of trouble."

Sera frowned. "At least try to stay in touch this time," she called after him. Link waved a hand over his shoulder as he made his way to the door. "And stay alive, dammit!"


	22. Chapter 22

Revali leaned back in the large, leather chair. He rolled himself away from the table, spun himself around, then rolled back, kicking his feet up on the table as he did so. He folded his hands together behind his head as he rocked slightly. "This is nice. Why don't we do this more often?"

"Because this is not a place to hang out," Zelda hissed. As she walked behind him, she pushed against his chair, forcing him to sit upright, his legs sliding off the table and back onto the floor. "Need I remind you that I am your queen."

Revali mocked her quietly, folding his arms together and turning his nose up at her. "Most loyal subjects have not seen their queen in her underwear."

Zelda threw a book angrily at him, and he ducked it with a snicker at the last minute. The Champions were all gathered around the table, per Zelda's request, and were anxiously waiting for answers.

"Can we get with the program?" Riju said, jabbing her finger into the table.

"Why are you here, anyway?" Revali sneered. "You're not a Champion."

"Sorry," Urbosa said, rolling her eyes. "You know she's too young to stay home alone. I had no choice."

"Shut up, Urbosa!" She elbowed her sister. "I'm twenty-four!"

"Remember when you were little and cute?" Revali said with a wide grin.

"That little girl could kick your ass," Daruk said with a slightly disinterested tone. "In fact, I'm quite sure she has."

"Can it, Steroids."

Daruk flexed his arms. "All natural. Don't be jealous."

"You wanna take this outside?" Revali stood, his palms against the table. "'Cuz I'll take this outside!"

Daruk stood over him and grinned. Though Revali was barely of average height, Daruk was very large, and he almost towered over him. Revali slunk back in his chair, defeated.

"It wouldn't be a fair fight," he muttered. "You and your super freakish strength."

Zelda sat at the end of the table, shaking her head in her hands.

"It seems they're still stuck in high school," Riju said. "Bragging about whose superpower is better."

"At least we have 'em," Revali said with a grin, but to his surprise, Riju reached over and shocked him lightly on the nose.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Guess it runs in the family," Urbosa said with a yawn. "Play nice, Riju."

"I've never read a comic where the super heroes argue like teenage girls," Daruk said.

Riju snorted. "What comics are you reading?"

"Speaking of super heroes," Revali said, turning to Link who had been oddly silent through the whole thing. "If this is a superhero meeting, why is this loser here?"

"Hero of Hyrule," Riju said. "Duh!"

"Hero of Hyrule with no more super sword, if I remember correctly," Revali pointed out.

Link slunk into his chair, ignoring Revali's teasing gaze.

"What's the matter, Mr. Hero? Out of comebacks?"

"Don't piss him off," Aryll said as she came around the corner. She wiggled her fingers in the air. "He has super evil dark powers now."

"Aryll," Zelda started. "I don't recall giving you an invite."

She sat in the empty chair beside her brother. "And here I was thinking it got lost in the mail."

"Aryll," Zelda warned. "This is -"

"A super secret meeting about Dark Link. Yeah, I know."

The room fell silent.

"What's Dark Link?" Daruk asked.

"Dark Link is gonna get ya in your sleep," Aryll taunted.

"Aryll," Mipha started. "This isn't something to joke about."

Aryll shrugged. "If we don't learn to laugh at how fucked up our lives are, we'll only go crazy."

"What's Dark Link," Revali asked, "and how do I get to kick his ass?"

"Look," Zelda started fiercely. "I'm reinstating your titles of Champions. I hope you all enjoyed your vacation, because you're all about to go fight some more fucked up shit that wants to destroy us all."

"I didn't reenlist," Revali said. "I never signed on the dotted line."

"We destroyed Ganondorf," Urbosa said.

"I destroyed Ganondorf," Link muttered.

She ignored him. "What more could there possibly be?"

"The Yiga Clan," Zelda said. "It seems they have plans to break the seal and give him possession of the Triforce."

"I knew it," Revali muttered. He turned to Link. "I called that, didn't I?"

"We all know that won't work," Daruk said. "You and Link have the other two pieces, and if he tries to get his hands on the whole thing, it will only shatter."

"Well, fun fact, they found a way."

The room was quiet for a moment more.

"So," Revali said, breaking the silence. "Who's Dark Link?"

"I told you," Aryll said. "Piss him off and you'll find out." She wiggled her fingers once more.

Zelda continued before Aryll could say anything further. "The Yiga Clan believe that if the other two pieces – our pieces – are no longer pure, then Ganondorf will be able to wield the full power of the Triforce without it shattering." Zelda hesitated, her gaze falling on Link. "Unfortunately, it seems that they've already worked their dark power into one of the pieces. They'll be after mine next."

"Wait," Daruk started. "How did that happen?"

"Link got himself kidnapped," Aryll said. "They gave him some evil go-go juice, and voila, Dark Link."

"I'm not evil," Link muttered. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Not yet," Aryll pointed out.

"The Yiga Clan apparently has a large supply of this-" Zelda sighed, "-evil go-go juice. They've used it to create an undead army, and they used it on Link to -"

"Turn him to the dark side," Aryll finished.

Revali peered at Link. "He doesn't look dark or evil," he said. "Nope, definitely still as much as a wuss as the day I met him."

"Watch it," Link snarled.

"Release the Kracken!"

"Knock it off, Aryll," Mipha warned.

"When I turn, I'm going after you, first." Link pressed a finger to his sister's nose, his lips twisted in an angry snarl.

"That's not funny!"

"Then shut the fuck up!"

Mipha pulled on Link's shirt, pulling him back into his seat where he fumed quietly.

"What is happening!" Riju shouted.

"Link gets super angry," Aryll said. "And when he gets super angry, he turns into the hulk, except with these red, evil eyes, and he kills everything in his way."

"Is this a joke?" Urbosa muttered.

"Mipha and I saw it ourselves."

Urbosa stood abruptly and leaned across the table. Her fingers twisted in his shirt as she pulled Link forward. "Did you fucking touch them?" she hissed.

Link pulled himself out of her grip. "No!" He turned his gaze away quickly as he fell back into the chair. He dragged his palms down his face, but let them stay for a moment.

Urbosa turned her gaze to Mipha, who echoed his response. She remained standing, her hard gaze on Link. "So, you're telling us that you go all hulk and have no control over what you do?"

"Yup," Aryll answered for him.

"And then what? You go back to normal after you rage kill everything?"

"Yup."

"And eventually you'll turn on us?"

When Aryll did not answer for him, Link looked up and met Urbosa's gaze. "To the dark side," he muttered. "And then you can kill me."

Urbosa hesitated for a moment before returning to her seat.

"Wait a second," Aryll said, standing suddenly. "We didn't agree to that. We said we'd fix this."

"You're not even supposed to be here," Link hissed.

"You lied to me!" She punched him in the shoulder. "You promised me we would fix it!"

"There's no we!" Link shouted at her. "You don't get a say!"

Aryll looked taken aback. "I don't get a say? I'm you're fucking sister! You're my brother! You're all I have left!"

Once more, the room fell silent. Link got to his feet and, without another word, left the room, slamming the door behind him. Aryll remained standing, her lips pinched together as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Mipha moved towards her, taking her hands and pulling her quickly out of the room.

"This is fucked up," Revali muttered.

Daruk's brows knit together. "How long does he have?"

"I don't know," Zelda admitted, her voice soft. "And I don't know how we can fix this. If he completely turns, we'll have no choice but to... there's no coming back if that happens."

"What about the Yiga Clan?" Urbosa asked. "We'll need to take them out, too."

Zelda hesitated. "I think our prime objective will be to do what we can to fix Link," she said slowly. "Otherwise, we won't stand a chance against him and the Yiga."

"We'll need to do both," Daruk said. "We need to be proactive in stopping the Yiga Clan before they can do any more damage."

"Regardless," Zelda said quickly. "We'll need to be on guard. I'll do what I can to find out more about the Yiga Clan, and how to fix Link before it's too late."

"So, what?" Revali started. "We're supposed to just wait around until we have a plan? Why not make a plan now?"

"Zelda's right," Urbosa said. She held a careful gaze on the queen. "We need to be careful about how we deal with the Yiga Clan. We have the two people they need to get their hands on. The more details we have, the better off we'll be."

Link paced the empty hallway, his mind racing, his heart aching for the pain he caused his sister. He cursed at himself over and over for letting everything happen to them. If only he had the sword – if only he had more power, like the rest of his friends – he could have stopped it. He could have saved them all. He could have stopped the Yiga Clan before they could even begin their evil plans. If only he were better.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to meet Teba's gaze. His brows knit together in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Zelda called me."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Dunno. Said she needed my help."

Link snorted. "Your help?"

"I may not have any cool powers like you guys," he said with a grin, "but that doesn't mean you guys get to have all the fun."

"Remind me when the fun started?"

Teba ignored him. "I know the rumors, but what's your side?"

Link hesitated. "That depends. What are the rumors?"

"The best one I've heard is that you've gone crazy and betrayed us all. Hyrule's Hero turned traitor."

"Oh, is that all?" Link sneered.

"Alright, alright," Teba said. "Guess I hit a nerve."

"Remind me why Zelda wants you?"

"Well," he started, "I do command part of her army."

"Since when?"

Teba shrugged. "Enlisting seemed like a good idea. Saki isn't too thrilled about it, though."

"Right." He hadn't realized how long it had been since he had seen Teba or Saki. He supposed he should act like a decent human being, at least for as long as he was human. "How is she?"

"She's good."

Link could feel Teba's gaze on him, but he did not turn to him. "You should go get filled in, then."

Teba patted Link's shoulder as he stepped around him and into the room. Link turned his attention to Mipha as she walked toward him.

"When did you become so cold and heartless?" Mipha hissed at him.

"I don't know," Link said. "Probably around the time Kohga decided to turn me into one of his fucking minions."

Mipha pulled her gaze away from him. "Aryll left."

Link's hard gaze softened. "Where did she go?"

"I don't know."

"And you let her go?"

"She doesn't need to be here." She glanced at him. "And she certainly doesn't need to deal with your shit."

Link averted her gaze. His brows furrowed. "She needs to face the reality of the situation," he said firmly.

"What? That her brother is just going to let this happen? Let himself die?" Her voice raised. "You're all she has left!" Her voice broke toward the end, and when she spoke again, it was softer. "You can't… you can't do that to her. You can't do that to me."

"I'm not going to let it happen," he said slowly. "But if we can't fix this soon… Goddesses, Mipha, it's not like I wanted this!" His jaw tightened. "But I can't let myself live if I'm only going to put everyone in danger. The same danger I did everything I could to stop. The same danger my father died trying to stop." He met her gaze. "You both need to understand that. This is what needs to be done."

"Well," Mipha started softly. "If it comes down to that, we can deal with it then. But Aryll needs you. I need you. We need you here, and now. You need to fight for your damn life."

"To the end."

"We won't let it come to that. I won't let it come to that."

Link pressed his lips together. He needed to find his sister. He fished his keys out of his pocket, then pressed his lips against Mipha's before jogging down the hall and outside to find Aryll.


	23. Chapter 23

At the cemetery, the rain fell lightly. Aryll sat on her knees before the two marked graves. She let her fingers trace over the engraved names in the stones and swallowed at the painful lump that formed in her throat. The cemetery was large, stones of various shapes and sizes marking neat rows across the manicured lawns. Despite this, the graves of her parents seemed to be in a newer section of the cemetery, and there was an empty space between her father's grave and the next grave that seemed all too convenient. It was as if life were taunting her, playing a sickening joke suggesting that her brother would be next, and she would be left alone in the world.

She closed her eyes and tried to force a breath as the lump in her throat grew larger, but she only choked and sobbed. Her fingers dug into the dirt, grasping and pulling out the wet strands of grass angrily. She threw the clump of dirt and grass at the ground, and it came to rest at the corner of her father's grave. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. Feeling a presence, she got to her feet, but did not turn around. She patted her palms against her jeans in an attempt to brush the wet dirt off of them.

"Why are you so quick to give up?" she asked softly.

Link shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes cast on his father's grave. "I'm not giving up."

"It feels like you are."

Link sighed and made his way to his sister's side. His eyes moved to the side to regard her, but he did not face her. He shrugged with one shoulder. "I'm a realist," he said. "Back up plans need to be expected."

"You're an idiot," Aryll muttered. "You don't give a shit about anything."

"Don't you think if that were the case, I would have let Hyrule rot?" Link crossed his arms. "I think I'm a pretty selfless guy. I gave up a lot for this damn place."

Aryll was quiet for a moment. "You're arrogant," she finally said.

"Nothing I do is good enough for you, is it?"

"No," Aryll said through gritted teeth. "I expect you to stay alive."

Link dropped his arms and turned his gaze back to the two graves before them. "I can only promise so much."

"I'm not burying the only family I have left!" Aryll barked at him.

Link's chest ached painfully. He couldn't bring himself to make promises to his sister that he could not keep. He could fight all he wanted, but there was no telling how long he would have. There was nothing he could do to stop it from happening.

"Aryll," he started, choosing his words carefully. "You should know by now; I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I can't very well do that if I'm not around. But this is beyond my control. I'll do everything I can to stop this. I don't want this, Ary." He sighed. "I never wanted any of this. I don't want to die, especially not for this damn kingdom. I'd give my life for you, but I don't even want to do that, because I can't do that to you. I won't leave you. Not as long as I can control it. But I can't control this. And I won't let this win. I won't let the Yiga win. If it's the only way to keep you safe, then that's what I need to do. I'm not going to make false promises to you. But know that I will do everything in my power to beat this." He hesitated. "And if that time comes, you know you won't be alone. You have Mipha. You have Urbosa and Daruk. Even Revali. They'll do anything for you. You will never be alone."

Aryll said nothing for a long moment, fearing she would only break down into a uncontrollable mess. She continued to stare at the two graves before them. She wanted nothing more than to be strong for her brother; that's what he needed from her, just as she needed his strength. But she couldn't possibly imagine a life without him. Growing up without a mother didn't feel all that bad, not when she never knew her mother. Which made the loss of her father that much greater, giving her a large, empty presence in her life. At a young age, still a child, she was left with no parents. And even then, her father's loss never felt as great as it did now, when she knew she could very well lose her brother, too, the only family she had left.

The thought weighed heavy on her mind, but she did everything she could to push it aside. If this was what it came down to - if her time with her brother was so limited - she didn't want to waste a second of it fretting about her future. It didn't particularly make her feel any better, but he was right; she would not have to go through the pain of losing him alone. She would not be alone in life.

She wrapped her arms around her brother, breaking into a sob when his arms wrapped around her tightly. They stayed like that until the rain began to drop more steadily in heavy drops, falling down their faces along with their tears. He pulled his sister quickly through the cemetery and into the safety of the dry car. They sat in silence for a moment, with only the purr of the engine and the soft thud of the rain on the roof, until Aryll finally spoke.

"What do we do, now?"

Link hesitated. He turned his gaze out the windshield, glancing one last time at the two marked graves. "We try to fix this."

"How?"

"I don't know," he said softly. He turned and smiled at her. "But we'll figure something out. We always do."

It wasn't a good answer, but Aryll didn't press further. "Can we go home?" she asked softly.

Link nodded. He started the car and navigated out of the cemetery. "I guess we should get Mipha, first."

Aryll smiled. "You left her at the palace?" She turned to look out the window. "That's awkward."

"Why?"

"Because she probably hates Zelda."

His brows furrowed. "Why would she hate Zelda?"

Aryll glanced at him and shook her head. "You're so stupid. Did you forget you tried to bang her on the kitchen table?"

"Oh." Link frowned. "Come on, they're over that. It meant nothing."

Aryll barked out a short, sarcastic laugh and rolled her eyes. "Typical guy."

"Whatever," he muttered.

"I still think that shrine is worth looking into," Urbosa said.

The Champions were wandering the halls in the palace, slowly making their way outside, though they were still discussing their ideas on how to handle the Yiga and fix Link.

"If I can't fix it, what makes you think a healing shrine will be able to?" Mipha said, growing frustrated with them.

"If he's so capable as big, bad, Dark Link," Revali started, "don't you think we should use that to our advantage?"

"We don't know enough about what's happening," Daruk said. "We can't encourage that - what if he doesn't come back?"

"Maybe," Revali said thoughtfully. "But you have to admit - he could take on the entire Yiga Clan by himself. We barely stand a chance as we are now."

"I could take 'em," Riju said. She punched at the air excitedly. "I'll take 'em all!"

"You're not part of this," Urbosa said.

"I can be a Champion, too!"

"Are you twelve?"

"Shut up, Urbosa!"

As they stepped outside, they saw Link and Aryll, seemingly waiting for them.

"What took you so long?" Aryll called. "Link can do his hair quicker than that."

Revali grinned. "It takes a lot of work to get that uncut mess to fall just right." He punched Link's shoulder as he walked by and toward his own car. "And shave that stupid beard."

Link rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. "I like it."

"You look like a douche bag."

"You're a douchebag!"

"This is familiar," Urbosa muttered.

As Mipha joined Link and Aryll, she studied them carefully. It seemed that they were back to their normal selves, but she didn't dare press for information as to where they had run off to.

Zelda watched as one by one, the Champions dispersed, leaving her and Teba alone. She didn't speak until they were out of sight, and even then, she didn't turn to regard Teba.

"Impa knows," she started. "I'm sure she will tell my father."

Teba's brows furrowed. "He'll try to stop you."

"I know." Zelda turned to him. "That's why I'm not telling him."

"You shouldn't be doing this alone."

"It will be quicker if I do," she insisted. "And I need you to be my eyes here. He'll try to get his hands on Link. He'll kill him if it comes down to that."

"Perhaps, then, he should get out of the city now."

Zelda hesitated. "Let me try to talk to Impa, first. But if you hear anything, get him out. Understand?"

Teba nodded dutifully.

Zelda let herself into the shrine. It had been ten years since she last stepped foot inside. To her relief, Impa didn't seem to be around. She let herself into the Sheikah's office, quickly examining the room. She noted the camera in the far corner of the room, and knew there was one in the central room as well. But she was not concerned about them, knowing that Paya had taken care of them just a few minutes earlier.

She quickly set to work, moving behind Impa's desk and perusing through the items on her desk. She first checked through various files in one drawer, then flipped anxiously through the notes and books on her desk. She was sure the Sheikah was smart enough not to leave things out so openly, but she couldn't be too careful.

When she found nothing of note, Zelda moved to search the rest of the office. She quickly scanned the books on the shelving, then opted to remove them to check behind them for something more secret. When that came up empty, she started to grow frustrated. Impa had to know something, otherwise, it didn't seem likely she would work so hard to keep Zelda in the dark. But perhaps that knowledge was simply in her mind, and not something Zelda would come across in the office.

She was bent over the keyboard of the computer in a desperate attempt to hack into it when the doorknob turned, and she froze. She straightened quickly in an attempt to seem innocent, then breathed a sigh of relief when the opening door revealed that it was only Paya.

"Find anything?" she asked.

Zelda shook her head. "No. Nothing."

"There's a chance that Purah has more information on the shrine," Paya said. "Though, I suspect that she won't be anymore likely to hand that information over. Not if my grandmother has anything to do with it."

Zelda sighed. "I want to leave as soon as possible," she said.

"We can search Purah's office," Paya said. "She's in Hateno."

"If there's nothing there, I'm going to the shrine myself."

Paya frowned. "There won't be anything we can do if we don't know what we're doing."

Zelda pinched her lips in frustration. "I can't just sit idly by and let the darkness overcome him."

"I had another idea," Paya started. "If we are unsuccessful, we could try to search around Faron. There's supposedly a shrine there, dedicated to the Goddess Farore. There's also a shrine in Eldin for the Goddess Din, and in Lanayru for the Goddess Nayru. As you know, each one represents a piece of the Triforce. Farore's represents the Triforce of Courage - the piece Link possesses. If there's something that can be done, maybe we can find the answer there."

"The darkness just needs to be removed," Zelda said, growing excited. "Surely all we need is a little Divine intervention. Hylia herself went to Link. She could stop this."

Paya hesitated. "That's the thing," she started slowly.

Zelda's brows furrowed. "No. No things."

"Hylia cannot intervene with life. People are born, and people die."

"No," Zelda said quickly. "Link already died once, before he had a chance to defeat Ganondorf. She brought him back. She can do it again."

"The Hylians are dying out," Paya said fiercely. "When they are gone, there will be no one left to fill the role of Chosen Hero. Hylia's powers are weakening with every generation. She's growing desperate to keep the race alive and the world safe. And every time she intervenes, it takes a heavy toll. She cannot continue to sacrifice herself for a hero whose time must eventually come. The world will be safe until a new generation of heroes is born."

"No!" Zelda turned away from Paya, her hands balled into fists at her side. "No. Not like this. This isn't what was supposed to happen. I won't allow it." She hesitated, then turned her gaze back to Paya. "Hylia has planned for everything. Surely she has a plan for this."

"I cannot know for certain," Paya said softly. "But you must accept his death as a very real possibility. There may be nothing we can do to stop this."

"That may be," Zelda started, "but I will not rest until I have exhausted every other possibility. I will do everything in my power to fix this. To fix him." She turned a pleading gaze to her advisor. "Will you help me?"

"Can you accept it if you fail?" Paya asked. "Will you be able to live with yourself if Link dies?"

Zelda tore her gaze away. Her eyes moved over Impa's desk, as if searching for the answer she needed to hear. "Of course not," she said softly. "But at least I'll know I tried. If that is how it must be… I will let it be."

Teba made his way through the barracks. There were more soldiers milling about than usual, given the time of day. He paused in front of the captain's office, then knocked twice. A voice answered, and he entered.

"Lieutenant." He looked up briefly as Teba entered. "What do you want?"

"Planning something without me?"

He regarded his lieutenant for a moment, then turned back to his paperwork. "I didn't think you could be unbiased."

Teba raised a brow. "Unbiased?"

"Roham has asked us to take Link in." He glanced up at Teba. "Didn't say anything more than that." He turned his attention back to the papers in his hand. "Didn't think you'd want to tag along since he's your friend and all."

Teba hesitated. "Zelda -"

He pushed himself noisily away from his desk, cutting Teba off. "Well, you know how it is. Queen Zelda isn't exactly unbiased in the situation, either."

Teba's gaze narrowed. "What do you think you're going to do with him?"

"That wasn't discussed," he said as he stood. "I do what I'm told. I don't ask questions. Neither should you."

Teba watched as his captain stepped around him and left the office. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and promptly texted Zelda.


	24. Chapter 24

"Link, get the… the door…" Mipha tiredly hit Link. She meant to tap his shoulder, but it turned out to be a slap in the face instead.

Link groaned loudly and blinked in the darkness. "The… door?"

"I mean…" Mipha yawned and turned over in the bed.

Link turned his gaze to his phone. The ringer was off, but it was vibrating loudly against the nightstand. His eyes squinted in the light of the screen, and his brows furrowed. Why was Teba calling him at two in the morning?

His fingers fumbled in the dark as he reached for the phone. He answered it and brought it to his ear with a yawn. "What?"

"Get up." Teba's voice was fierce. "I'm outside. Let's go."

The call ended. Link stared blankly at his phone in confusion. "Teba?" he said out loud to no one in particular.

"What… what's he want?" Mipha asked.

Link sat up in bed, and his heart began to race. Something was wrong. He quickly got out of bed and made his way downstairs, pulling his pants on in the process. He stumbled through the darkened kitchen and opened the door.

Teba regarded him with a fierce expression at first, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he looked Link over. "Are those Mipha's pants?"

Link looked down at the pink, plaid, fuzzy pants that he managed to squeeze into. He cursed under his breath and rubbed at his eyes. "The fuck is going on?"

Teba's face grew serious once more. It was only then that Link noticed the weapon on his side. His brows furrowed as he met Teba's gaze.

"We don't have time," Teba said quickly. "Roham's got a warrant out for your arrest. A few of my guys, a few of Dorian's. He's not fucking around."

Link blinked at him. "Arrest?" he sneered. "What fucking for?"

"For being a threat to Hyrule," he said frankly. "Are you going to keep asking stupid questions or are you going to get moving? My ass is on the line too, you know."

"Fuck," Link spat. "Zelda -"

"Zelda is powerless right now," Teba said. "Roham went behind her back. Besides… she's preoccupied elsewhere."

"Doing what?" he snapped.

"Can we do this later?" Teba said in an exhausted tone. "You need to get out of the city, now."

"If they're looking for me, they'll find me," Link said. "You can't possibly hold them off by yourself."

Teba stepped aside, and Link looked around him. There, standing in the dark, were several other soldiers under Teba's command. They were dressed in dark clothing, making them appear to be just dark figures in the night, though he could tell that they all carried various weapons and even wore their bullet proof vests.

"This is insane," Link muttered.

"You're lucky you have this many supporters right now," Teba hissed. "You're on thin ice. Would you like to keep pushing it? You're wasting our time."

"Alright," Link growled. "Give me five minutes."

"You have two," Teba called as Link left them alone outside.

Mipha was waiting in the kitchen. She had pulled on one of his shirts and a pair of shorts. She regarded him with a worried gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Roham," Link muttered. "We need to leave the city."

She nodded quickly, not once questioning him. "I'll wake up Aryll."

Mipha hurried to Aryll's room to wake her, and Aryll jumped suddenly. She sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes.

"What? What's - what's wrong? Is Link okay?"

"He's fine," she quickly assured her. "But we need to leave."

Aryll blinked at her. "Leave? Why? Where are we going?"

"I don't know," Mipha said. "But we need to hurry."

Aryll nodded sleepily and got out of bed. "Is this a 'pack everything I love 'cuz we're blowing up the house and faking our deaths' kind of thing? Or, should I just pack a toothbrush?"

Mipha sighed. "You've been around Link for too long," she said. "Just grab the essentials, alright?"

Aryll frowned. "I was looking forward to faking my death," she said dryly. "But I guess being on the lam is just as fun." She started to grab various items, throwing them on her bed. "Maybe we can take the train across the kingdom like hobos."

Mipha rolled her eyes and left Aryll alone. It seemed she had just gotten unpacked, and now she seemed to be moving again. Hopefully it was only temporary.

Within ten minutes, Link was packed, though most of the items he grabbed consisted of the various weapons his father had kept in the safe in his closet. The three of them moved through the darkened house and outside where Teba impatiently waited. He tapped at his foot, then pointed at his wrist, though there was no watch on it. Link rolled his eyes and threw their things into the car.

"Girls are with me," Teba said. "They'll be looking for your car."

Link didn't argue. It made sense, but still, he didn't like the idea of being split up from them. And it seemed they didn't appreciate it, either.

"Who will?" Aryll asked, her gaze narrowed on Teba. "And what happens if they do find him?"

"Link can handle himself," Teba said. "Let's go."

Link winked at his sister before sliding into his car. Aryll rolled her eyes, but followed Teba and Mipha into one of the other vehicles.

One by one, they pulled out onto the empty road and drove through the sleepy city. After a moment, Mipha called, but it was Teba's voice that greeted him.

"Where do you want to go?"

Link hesitated. "How the hell should I know?"

"Think of something, then split from the convoy. One of my guys will follow you."

Link searched his brain quickly. "The ranch. Aryll can get you there."

The call ended, and Link did as he was instructed. He stopped following Teba and took a different route out of the city. As Teba had said, another vehicle broke away to follow him. A few of the vehicles split from the convoy, each one taking a different route out of the city, and he quickly lost track of them as they disappeared down other roads. He didn't like being out of sight of Teba, but even without any extraordinary powers, he trusted Mipha and Aryll with him. As long as their escape went smoothly, he knew he'd seen them within the hour.

Zelda and Paya stood in the empty office, their search rendering the same results as it did in Impa's office. If Purah had anything of use, it was secured elsewhere. They quickly found, however, that they were not alone. They spun on their heels at Purah's voice to find her leaning against the frame of the door, her arms crossed.

"My sister warned me you would be stopping by," she said with a sly grin. She inspected her nails as if their presence disinterested her. "You can hide your face all you want, Paya, but I can see right through Zelda's disguise."

Zelda met Paya's gaze, hesitant. Her red eyes turned to narrow on the Sheikah that stood before them.

"Relax," she said, dismissing them with a wave of her hand. "Unlike Impa, I don't believe in keeping you in the dark. Just don't tell her you heard anything from me." She stepped into the room and moved around her desk, letting her fingers slide across the wood as she did so. "You've done well to hide the queen's identity, though. The Yiga are hunting her. They shouldn't see through the spell like I can."

"What do you want?" Paya asked coolly.

"I want to help," Purah said. "You were right to come here. You want to know about the shrine. Let me save you the trouble; it won't fix Link." She sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, there is a small problem in regards to the shrine. The Yiga Clan robbed us just the other day. They got their hands on the Sheikah Slate - the only item that will allow the shrine to work."

"What can you tell us about the shrine?" Zelda asked.

"The shrine was created several thousand years ago by the Sheikah," Purah said. "It works with the Sheikah Slate to secure anyone inside and puts them into a stasis to allow them heal from fatal wounds. It has been used on heroes past before they had a chance to defeat Ganondorf."

"A healing shrine?" Zelda asked.

"Of course," Paya said. "With the Sheikah Slate, the Yiga Clan can use it for Ganondorf."

Purah nodded. "Yes. I should have left it with Impa. It would have been safer in the protection of the city." She smiled sheepishly. "But, you know how am I with these things, Paya." She sighed and sat behind her desk. "I had been trying to get it to work for our own purposes, should history repeat itself."

"History did repeat itself," Zelda said through gritted teeth. "Link died."

"But, he didn't," Purah offered cheerily. She put a hand on her chin. "Regardless. We must get the slate back."

Zelda sighed and rubbed her temple. "Add it to our to-do list," she said. "But we still need to figure out how we can fix Link."

Purah frowned. "I'm sorry, but I cannot help you there." She clasped her hands together. "If I knew anything, I would gladly help you. Impa and I have discussed it at length. It weighs heavily on her mind, you know. I do not believe the shrine will be able to help him. However, I won't dismiss it entirely. I cannot know for sure until we test it ourselves. But to do that, we will need to get the slate back."

"Alright," Zelda said. She turned to leave the office, but Purah's voice stopped her.

"I'd like to be able to tell Impa that she won't need to worry about the slate," Purah said. "That we have someone trustworthy looking for it. She will inquire. Surely I can't tell her Hyrule's queen is on her own rescue mission. How should I call you?"

Zelda glanced over her shoulder. "Sheik."

It was nearing four in the morning when the caravan reunited at the ranch. Link was not surprised to see one of the front windows cast aglow by a lamp inside. He knew Talon was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with his usual cup of coffee. When the sun rose enough to warm the cool air of the night, he would be enjoying his second cup on the front porch in his old chair before finally shuffling over to the barn to answer hungry calls.

The headlights of the vehicles flashed over the window as they pulled into the long, dirt drive, likely alerting Talon to their presence. When they stepped out of their respected vehicles, Talon was standing on the top step, his coffee in hand, peering curiously at him. He visibly relaxed when he saw Link move toward him, but his brows were still knit in question.

"I know I tease ya 'bout bein' lazy," Talon started, "but did ya really need to bring a whole crew to help ya much a couple of stalls?"

Link offered him a tired smile. Talon sipped at his coffee, peering at him over the brim of his mug. His eyes moved to Mipha and Aryll, then looked over the heavily armed soldiers as they stood around cautiously.

"I guess yer not here to get a head start on the day," Talon muttered.

"Not exactly," he said. He turned his gaze toward Mipha and Aryll, hesitant.

"Ah'right," Talon said with a great sigh. He straightened and adjusted his worn jeans. "Whatever ya need, kid."

Link's lips pressed together. "I just need them somewhere safe."

Talon grinned. "Well, ya came to the right place. Ain't nobody gettin' passed me or the dogs."

Link frowned. He moved his gaze to the open door. Talon's three dogs were sprawled out lazily on the wood floor. "I wouldn't be so sure."

Talon whistled sharply and the three dogs sprang to their feet. Their tails wagged as they regarded Link before trotting over to him, then immediately passed him to greet Aryll and Mipha and their other visitors.

"Well, screw you, too," Link said to the dogs as they ignored him.

"I'm not gonna get thrown in jail for harboring some fugitives, am I?" Talon asked, narrowing his gaze on Link.

Link shrugged. "Maybe."

Talon smiled. "Ah, well. I s'pose there's a first time for everythin'." He whistled again and the dogs returned to him in a lazy lope. He turned away from Link, making his way back inside and speaking loudly over his shoulder. "More than 'nuff room s'long as Aryll pulls her weight."

Aryll yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, alright, man. But let me catch a couple more hours of sleep." She grabbed her bag out of the car, saluted the soldiers playfully, and made her way toward the house.

"Next time we need to make a late night escape," she started when she reached her brother's side, "you can just leave me home."

"I'll remember that."

Aryll grabbed Mipha's wrist. "Come on," she muttered. When Mipha tried to argue with her, she cut her off. "You know Link won't have it any other way."

Mipha sighed and met Link's gaze before letting Aryll pull her into the house.

Link stood on the front porch as the door closed. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to look down the dirt drive. The sun was just starting to peak above the distant mountains, casting hues of dark purples and pinks across the sky. The soldiers had gathered together, talking amongst themselves, and Teba parted from the group to join Link on the porch. He lit a cigarette, then pulled his phone out to text as the cigarette sat between his lips. He paused to hold it with one hand and he exhaled a puff of smoke with a heavy sigh.

"When Paya gets back," he started, "she'll be able to put a ward up. That should help keep you out of the eyes of the Yiga."

"What is she doing?"

"She's doing her part," Teba said simply. "Don't worry about it." He put the cigarette out on the railing. "You need as many people on your side as you can get right now."

Link turned away from Teba. "You don't need to be a part of this," he muttered.

"Well, that's not your call," he said frankly. "I work for the queen. And right now, I'm the only guy in her own army that she can trust."

Link frowned. "You have a kid, man."

"All he cares about is eating and sleeping. He won't even notice I'm gone."

"He'll notice if he has to grow up without you."

"Guess I'm sticking around, then." He let a hand rest on Link's shoulder before trotting down the steps. "I've got appearances to keep up with," he said over his shoulder. "If you get scared, I'll send Revali over to protect you." He grinned at Link before slipping into his car, his face hidden behind the tinted front windows, then pulled out of the driveway.

Link watched until the car disappeared, then pulled out his phone and dialed Kit.

"Do you know what time it is?" Kit snarled in greeting.

"Figured you'd just be getting home."

The line was silent for a moment. "Yeah, alright. What's up, Mr. Hero?"

"You said you could get me things," Link started. "What kinda things?"


	25. Chapter 25

They stood on the high cliff, keeping in the shadows as they overlooked the desert. They had been traveling the desert for almost two days, carefully tracking the Yiga Clan in hopes of finding their hideout. Luck was apparently on their side, in the form of a seemingly stray Yiga soldier who made his way into a deep valley. They had been tracking him for several hours until he seemed to disappear in a clustering of rocks. Upon further inspection, however, they came to the realization that the rocks were an overhang, which was easy enough for them to miss from their high position along the cliff.

But it seemed the Yiga soldier was careless, standing outside of the hidden entrance to their base to smoke a cigarette. He appeared out in the open once more, then began to pace, slipping in and out of their site.

Paya tensed at Zelda's side. Her eyes narrowed as they watched the figure, and her heart sank. "That's Dorian."

Zelda peered closely at the figure, quickly recognizing the Sheikah. After a moment, he stopped pacing. He let the butt of his cigarette drop to the ground, then smothered it with the toe of his boot. He put his hands in his pocket, then looked up in their direction.

Zelda pressed further back against the wall of the cliff, holding her breath. After a moment, Dorian pulled his gaze away and disappeared once more into the hideout.

"He saw us," she breathed.

Paya shook her head. "No. No, I don't think so."

"What if he did?" she sneered.

"He doesn't know who we are."

"He can easily guess. Who else would be here spying on them?"

"He would have attacked us," Paya insisted.

"Unless he wanted us to follow him. Lead us right into a trap."

"We're not going in," Paya said fiercely. "We only came to find their hideout."

"The slate could be in there," Zelda pushed.

"You said so yourself that it could be a trap."

Zelda hesitated. "We can't leave this desert with nothing."

"We don't have nothing," Paya said, reassuring her. "We know where they're located. We can come back prepared, now. We need to get back and talk to the others. It's time to plan how we're going to infiltrate their base."

Still, Zelda was hesitant, but she nodded. "Have you gotten word from Teba?"

"Link is safe at the ranch, for now. But I will need to get over there and put up a ward. We can't take any unnecessary risks."

"Then let's get back," she said quickly. "Can you get us there?"

"Let's get out of the valley," Paya said. "I don't want to chance them sensing my power."

"I've got two of my best men on it," Purah said. She balanced the phone on her shoulder and inspected her nails. "Stop worrying, you old bat."

"You're older than me," Impa muttered. Her brows furrowed as she spoke with her sister. "For the love of Hylia, Purah. I told you not to send anyone on a suicide mission without speaking with me."

"Impa, darling," Purah said, rolling her eyes. "I realize your best man is Dorian, and that's very unfortunate for you. But my men are very capable -"

"Who did you send out?" Impa hissed.

Purah smiled. "Oh, no one you know," she said cryptically. "Just a Sheikah who goes by Sheik."

Impa's breath caught in her throat, and she nearly choked. "Sheik?" Her voice hardened. "Purah! I gave you strict orders -"

"Can it, you hag," Purah shouted at her sister. "I don't take orders from you. Understand?"

"Purah," Impa pleaded. "You've put them in danger."

"They are more than capable," Purah assured her. "I wouldn't have done so if I didn't trust in their abilities. You want Link to survive this, don't you?" When her sister didn't respond, she smiled. "You have such a soft spot for that kid! I have just got to meet him in person one of these days!"

"He's a pain in my ass," Impa sneered.

"Oh, Impa," Purah started. "Your body is old, and your soul is ancient. You've seen far too many heroes come and go. What a task Hylia has put on you."

Impa's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"She's weakening, Impa," Purah continued. "This world does not have much longer. What will you do?"

Impa hesitated. She turned her gaze to the door as it opened without so much as a knock, and Roham entered.

"I've got other things to worry about right now," she said. "I will be in touch." She quickly ended the call and met Roham's fierce gaze.

"Where are they?"

Impa folded her hands together as she regarded the king. "I don't know," she said simply.

"Link is a danger to this kingdom," he barked. "He will destroy everything. He will put my daughter in danger."

"I agree," Impa said with a short nod. "But you should know that he will not be found unless he wants to be."

"I want him arrested," Roham sneered.

"He's no longer in the city," Impa stated. "Clearly he was tipped off. What can you expect? You have your men. He has his."

Roham's lips pulled into a snarl. "You are under oath, Impa. If there is something you know -"

Impa stood abruptly from behind her desk. "Silence," she barked at him. "Do not judge my loyalty to the royal family. I am doing everything I can to fix this, dammit!"

Roham hesitated, holding his gaze on the old Sheikah. "My daughter is gone," he said softly. "Hyrule's queen is gone. The kingdom is already suspicious of her absence. I cannot keep this under wraps for much longer. She's putting herself in danger."

"I'm sure she's with Link," Impa said. "Heroes come in pairs, you know. They like to stick together."

Roham's gaze narrowed on her. "I stand by my orders. I want Link under twenty-four-seven watch. I want Zelda back in the safety of the city. And I want your men to destroy the Yiga Clan."

Impa held her gaze, her expression blank. "As you wish, Your Highness." When Roham was gone, she spoke again. "Your time is running out. Tell Zelda they are hunting him."

Teba was pressed against the outer wall of the shrine. Through the open window, he could clearly hear Impa's voice. He turned his head to briefly glance in the window. The Sheikah still stood behind her desk. When she turned to look out the window, he was gone.

Never in a million years would Link have guessed Kit to be such a shady character, but as he stood in the dimly lit basement, he realized then how little he knew about the seemingly simple bartender.

Kit stood proudly over the display before them, his hands on his hips and a stupid grin on his face. He glanced over at Link as Link looked over the various items on the tables and in the hidden cases in the walls.

"What I tell ya?" Kit said. "Can I be part of the team now?"

"I guess I really can't say no," Link muttered.

"You can say no," Jini said to him. He toyed with one of the knives, flipping it in his hand. "In fact, you would be wise to say no."

"How the hell do you get your hands on this shit?"

"You'd be better off not knowing," Jini said.

"Jini was in Roham's army back in the day," Kit said.

Jini narrowed his gaze on Kit. "Keep your fucking mouth shut."

Kit raised his hands. "Relax, dude. Link's not gonna go running around blabbing your secrets."

"It's not him I'm worried about," Jini sneered. "You're the one that brought him here."

"Because he needs shit," Kit said. "And you got shit he needs."

"What could you possibly want this stuff for, anyway?"

"To blow the Yiga Clan to bits."

Link elbowed Kit sharply.

Jini smirked and shrugged one shoulder. "Can't trust him with anything, hm?" He inspected Link for a moment, then pointed the knife at him in gesture. "You know, I used to see your father around a lot. He was a pretty good guy. Still serving?"

"He's dead," Link said simply.

"Hm." This fact didn't seem to surprise Jini. "Guess I don't have to worry about selling black market weapons to his son."

"Black market?" Kit echoed. "You've got a big head."

"You realize ninety percent of my stock is stolen, right?"

"We're not paying for your stolen shit," Kit said.

Jini shrugged. "Link can get whatever he wants. I'd rather not piss off the Hero of Hyrule. Especially right here when he has access to an entire arsenal." He threw the knife forcefully into the wood table where it stuck and turned his back on them. "You know what you're doing. Keep me out of it." He turned to glance at Kit over his shoulder. "And keep your fucking hole shut or I'll shut it for you."

"Oh, I'm scared, Jini. The rogue ex marine is gonna come get me."

Jini grabbed the knife and threw it past Kit where it hit the back wall. "Don't test me," he snarled.

"I won't come to your defense," Link said.

"Whatever," Kit said, crossing his arms. "I don't need you. Get your stupid c4 so we can get out of here."

Link rubbed his chin. "What if we nuke those bastards?"

Kit laughed. "Right. Like we could get our hands on that." He hesitated. "We're not gonna try, right?"

It was mid-morning by the time Link and Kit returned to the ranch, having driven through most of the night from Akkala where they met with Jini. Link didn't exactly have a plan, but he knew he wanted to blow the Yiga Clan to bits, and he figured he got his hands on enough c4 to do just that. Kit, however, was not as concerned with the Yiga Clan as he was to Link's confession on their drive home that he was, as he put it, turning to the dark side. He didn't press further once Link admitted to what had happened to him, but he couldn't help glance at him from time to time to make sure he wasn't about to turn right there in the car and kick his ass.

He felt relieved when they finally got back to the ranch. Though he wanted to help Link, he knew he was useless in comparison to his friends. At first, he figured Link was just as useless, but now that he knew of his apparent dark powers, he was starting to think he was in way over his head. Still, he wasn't backing out on Link now, but at the very least the other Champions could offer some protection should it come down to it. Not to mention the fact that the trunk of the car was full of enough c4 to take out, well, the entire Yiga Clan, and that was all thanks to Kit's connections. So, maybe he wasn't totally useless.

Except for Zelda, the rest of the Champions - plus Riju - were gathered at the ranch when they pulled up. Revali's gaze narrowed on them as Link and Kit stepped out of the car.

"How was your field trip?" he asked.

"Aryll told us you were looking into a source," Riju said excitedly, though she air quoted the last part. She approached Link, leaning in with her hands on her hips, and grinned. "What's this source thing all about, anyway?"

Link pressed a finger to her nose and pushed her backwards. Riju frowned and scrunched her nose.

"None of your business," he said simply.

"Actually," Daruk started. "It kind of is."

"It was a waste of time," Kit said with a shrug. "He was just a guy I knew that I thought had intel on the Yiga Clan."

Aryll frowned. "He didn't?"

Kit shrugged. "If he does, we couldn't get him to talk."

"Did ya kill him?" Rijus asked, her eyes wide. "Did ya torture him and kill him?"

"Maybe," Link said.

"That's not funny," Aryll hissed at him.

"You realize your lives are on the line, right?" Kit asked her. "You can't exactly play nice."

"You can't go around killing anyone you want, either," Aryll snapped. "We're not the Yiga. If you do that, you're just like them."

"So, I should let the Yiga Clan live?" Link asked.

Aryll blinked at him, hesitant. "Well… I mean… You're not -"

"Get over it, Ary," Link snapped. "I kill things. I kill people. And you know what? So did Dad. Get over it."

"Well, this is nice," Revali said with a heavy sigh as Aryll stormed away from them. "You have such a way with people, Link."

Mipha frowned. "You didn't really kill him, did you?"

"For fuck's sake," Link growled. "Who fucking cares? If I thought he was a threat, I would have eliminated him. That's how it works."

"He'll live to see another day," Kit said, putting a hand on Link's shoulder. But the conversation was cut short as the air snapped nearby, and two figures appeared suddenly. Link immediately recognized Paya is she withdrew the cloth from over her face, but he did not know the man that stood beside her. His gaze narrowed on them.

"Who's your boyfriend?" Revali asked with a grin.

"Boyfriend?" A wave of realization washed over her face as she turned to Zelda. "What? No, Goddesses. No. That's -"

"Sheik," Zelda said, her gaze narrowing on her friends. "My name is Sheik."

Paya hesitated, then nodded.

"Sheik?" Revali echoed.

"He's a Sheikah," Paya said quickly. "A spy for Purah. We've been tracking the Yiga Clan the last few days."

Link's brows raised. "And?"

"We found their hideout in the Gerudo Desert," Zelda said simply. "A couple day's hike through, in a valley south-east of the Gerudo Summit."

Link held his gaze on Sheik. "And you trust him?"

"Yes," Paya said simply. "He's loyal to Purah and the royal family."

"So was Dorian," Link said simply.

Paya hesitated. She turned her gaze to Zelda.

"We saw Dorian at their hideout," she said.

"I knew it," Revali said. "Bastard."

"Does Impa know?"

"I can't be sure," Paya said. "We came right here once we found them. I haven't been back to the city. I wanted to make sure I could ward you here before I returned."

"A ward?" Urbosa echoed.

"There's been a ward over the city for the last twenty-six years," Paya said. "Impa put it up to keep Link and Zelda off the Yiga radar. That's how they've been able to get by undetected for so long. Outside of the city, however, there is no protection." She hesitated. "I don't have the same power my grandmother has, but I can at least ward the property here. Once you leave the ranch, however, you will be vulnerable to them."

"Fine," Link said. He didn't care about the protection for himself, but Aryll needed to be somewhere safe. If the ranch could be warded, it would be one less thing for him to worry about.

Paya nodded. She turned to Zelda for a moment, then in a snap, she disappeared.

Zelda met Link's suspicious gaze. "So, Hero, we meet at last."


	26. Chapter 26

When Paya returned from warding the property, she found them gathered inside around a long table. A map was rolled open on the dining room table, and a tablet sat on top of the map. Zelda's fingers scrolled along the tablet with one hand, and the other hand, she pointed to various places on the map as she explained the whereabouts of the Yiga Clan. She stood in the doorway, and Talon peered in over her shoulder.

"It seems my place is now the base of their secret operations," he said. "Yer one of the good Sheikah, right?"

Paya nodded and smiled.

"Good," he said as he straightened. "Don't need ta get maself in trouble for harboring a wanted hero, yanno." He shook his head as he continued on, not wanting anything to do with whatever plans they were brewing in his home.

Zelda turned her gaze to Paya. "Is the place warded?"

"Yes," Paya said as she stepped into the room.

"Good." Zelda turned back to the map. "Now that we know where their base is, we need to come up with a plan to infiltrate and destroy them."

"What about fixing Link?" Riju asked. "Shouldn't we do that first?"

"The Yiga Clan is our priority," Link said.

"And what if they have a way to fix you?" Daruk asked.

"Do you really think the people that want to turn the hero against all of Hyrule will have a secret antidote?" Revali sneered. "What good would that do them?"

Kit nodded. "Way too convenient," he said. "It won't be that simple."

Zelda hesitated. She didn't exactly want to tell them the truth; not just yet. As long as she was outside of the city, she needed to keep up her disguise as Sheik. And she wasn't ready to return to the city anytime soon. She knew Link needed to be saved, and quickly. She had hoped that the Champions could take out the Yiga Clan, and she could get her hands on the slate at the same time. If they knew about the slate, she feared they would be too focused on finding it, too distracted to appropriately deal with the Yiga Clan and thus putting them in danger. Not only that, but with the Champions attacking, it would leave the Yiga Clan distracted as well, giving her a chance to find the slate. Of course, her friends were too stubborn to make her plan so simple for her. To her relief, however, Paya stepped in.

"There's a spring," Paya said. "In the Faron region. The spring of Farore. She is the embodiment of the Triforce of Courage. If there's a way we can help him, I'm sure it will be there."

"Don't you think we should try that first?" Daruk asked. His eyes narrowed on Sheik. "And then we can go after the Yiga Clan."

"He's right," Mipha said. "We don't know how long…"

"How long until the darkness takes over," Riju finished for her. She wiggled her fingers in the air. "We don't stand a chance against Dark Link."

Link crossed his arms. "The Yiga Clan need to be dealt with first," he said.

"They are a threat," Revali said in agreement. "And there's a very good chance there is no fix for Link. We can't waste our time. If we eliminate the Yiga Clan first, then we'll have all the time in the world to search for a cure."

"And what if he turns on us before we can do that?" Urbosa asked.

"If I turn, I'm a dead man, anyway," Link said fiercely. "And you'll need to kill me along with the Yiga Clan."

Urbosa frowned. "But if we can prevent you from turning -"

"I want them dead!" Link shouted. His fist slammed against the table. "I'm not fucking dying until I know they're dead!"

The room fell silent. His words sat heavily in their minds as they turned their gazes to the map on the table. After a moment, Zelda spoke.

"I strongly urge you to take out the Yiga Clan now while you still can."

"Who the fuck are you, anyway?" Revali sneered. He turned his angry gaze to Paya. "Why would you bring this random guy along?"

"Because Aunt Purah trusts him," she said. "He has more intel on the Yiga Clan than anyone else."

"Except for Dorian," Daruk pointed out. "That guy's actually working for them."

"Look," Zelda started. "I've been tailing them for a long time. They're not only trying to get their hands on Link and Zelda, but they're trying to restore the Shrine of Resurrection."

"Zelda mentioned something about that awhile ago," Urbosa said.

"It's useless without an item called the Sheikah Slate," Zelda said. "The Yiga Clan stole it from Purah. I was tasked to retrieve it."

"Could it fix Link?" Mipha asked.

"We don't know," Paya admitted.

"Why didn't you say something before?" Revali scowled.

"Because this is a mission that's far too delicate for everyone to be involved," Zelda said. "I know what I'm looking for. I can't have you all tagging along and getting in my way." She hesitated. "My hope was that you would take on the Yiga Clan and provide the distraction I need to get in, get the slate, and get out."

"That sounds reasonable," Daruk said with a nod.

"You could have mentioned that in the beginning," Riju said, rolling her eyes.

"I know how you work," Zelda said. "You think you can do everything yourselves."

"I'd prefer that," Revali said. "I don't trust you. What are you going to do with the slate once you get your hands on it?"

"Purah and I will bring it to the shrine," Zelda said. "If we can get it to work, we might be able to use it to our advantage."

"What do the Yiga think they're going to do with it, anyway?" Kit asked.

"It's a healing shrine," Paya said. "If they succeed in bringing Ganondorf back, they can use it to keep him alive and make him stronger."

"Oh, is that all?" Kit muttered.

"So, it's settled, then?" Urbosa asked. "We go in, destroy the Yiga, get the slate, and get out."

"What if the shrine doesn't work?" Riju asked.

"We can try the spring," Paya said.

"And what if that doesn't work?" Revali added.

Zelda frowned. She recalled Paya's words to her. You must accept his death as a very real possibility. There may be nothing we can do to stop this.

"You need to kill me," Link said, his eyes cast down on the table. "If there is no way to fix this, you need to kill me before I destroy Hyrule."

Zelda's lips pressed together. She pulled her gaze off of Link.

"There's a very real possibility that this cannot be undone," Paya said softly. "That is something you all need to accept."

Revali grit his teeth together. "What are we doing wasting our time here?" he muttered. "Don't we have a slate to find?"

"We need to talk to Zelda," Urbosa said. "Is she aware of any of this? She should be here."

"The Yiga Clan are searching for her," Paya said. "She cannot be a part of this. She'll be walking right into her death."

"She needs to know what is going on."

"I will keep her informed," Paya said.

Revali regarded Paya and Sheik with wary skepticism. "Where is she?"

Paya hesitated. "She's in the city."

Revali drew his bow. "What did you do with her?"

"Revali," Urbosa warned. "What are you doing?"

"Zelda has been gone for almost a week," he hissed.

"What makes you think that?" Paya asked carefully.

"A trustworthy source," he said as he narrowed his eyes on them. "Said she went out to try to find a way to fix Link."

Link's eyes darted to Sheik and Paya. His lips pulled back angrily and he quickly drew his weapon.

"Teba," Zelda muttered.

Revali's gaze narrowed further. "If you so much as touch him -" But he didn't bother finish. He let his arrow loose, but Paya was quick to throw her arm to the side, throwing the arrow off course where it plunged into the wall.

"Enough!" Zelda shouted. "For the love of Hylia, Revali! I will kill you myself! I'm Zelda!"

Revali held his gaze on them. "Of course you are," he sneered.

Sheik crossed his arms, and at that moment, Zelda's piece of the Triforce began to glow on his hand. The room was quickly cast in a blinding light, causing the Champions to shield their eyes with their arms. When the light subsided, Zelda stood before them, right where Sheikah once stood. She regarded them with exhaustion.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Revali barked.

"The Yiga Clan are hunting me," she hissed. "I can't exactly just waltz around Hyrule, you know!" Her hands balled into fists at her side. "Why do you have to ruin everything? You're all so damn stubborn!"

Link sighed and pocketed his weapon. "We're stubborn?" he said. "You took off without us."

"Like I said," Zelda sneered. "I know what I need to get. You'll all just slow me down and fuck everything up."

"Hey," Riju started. "We're a team. We're capable of doing this together."

"You're not part of this," Urbosa hissed at her. She turned to Zelda. "But she's right. You could have told us what you were doing."

"Would you have stopped me?"

"Yes," Link said. "Do you know the danger you put yourself in?"

"No one had a clue who I was," Zelda said firmly. "I was not in any danger."

Link threw his arms up in exasperation. He turned and left the room, making his way outside to fume angrily. Zelda was the first to follow him outside, with the others on her heels.

"Look," she said when she reached him outside. "We're on thin fucking ice right now. My father will do anything to get his hands on you. He will kill you if he has the chance. I'm doing everything I can to keep that from happening."

"You went behind my back," he hissed. "You could have gotten killed."

"We didn't confront them," Zelda said. "We simply found their hideout. I never planned on going in without you guys. But we couldn't exactly all go into that damn desert searching for something. I had an opportunity and I took it. And now we know where they are. Now we can take them on and get what we need."

"You lied to me!"

"I didn't lie," Zelda snapped. "Goddesses, Link. You want so badly to be a part of this, but there's nothing you can do. Don't you see that? You'll just get in our way! We can't defend you and try to defeat the Yiga Clan. Stay out of this!"

Link stared at Zelda, his anger boiling through him and clouding his mind. He cursed under his breath. He was losing control. He could feel the darkness taking over him again. He dropped to his knees as it surged through him. Zelda dropped beside him, calling to him, but he could no longer hear her voice.

Mipha pulled Zelda backwards and out of the way as the darkness took over Link. His red eyes flashed up at them, and he lunged at them. Daruk's red barrier quickly sprung up around them, knocking Link backwards, and Link turned his furious gaze around to the rest of his friends. They stepped back warily as he regarded them. He lunged at Revali, who was the closest to him, but Revali was quicker, stepping out of the way and letting his elbow smash the back of his head.

Link stumbled forward, but was quick to catch his balance. He threw his arm to the side and the ground began to tremble. But before he could finish his attack, Revali lunged at him, his blade slicing across his gut. He turned and caught Link as he fell backwards, his arm wrapping around his neck. But a strong force shot out from Link's body, and Revali was thrown backwards into the side of the barn, where he fell limp.

But before Link could turn around to make his next attack, Daruk pinned him against the wall. His strong hand wrapped around Link's throat. Link struggled against him, but even in his powerful, dark state, his strength did not match Daruk's. Daruk pressed against him until Link began to choke and sputter under the pressure to his chest and neck. Only then did his struggles slow and quiet, and Daruk loosened his hold slightly.

"Come on," he growled to Link. "Snap out of it!"

Link's red eyes narrowed on Daruk, and once more his struggling resumed. Every time he pushed against Daruk, he pushed back harder, stronger, until Daruk's grip fell away and he stumbled backwards. He looked up in horror as Link approached him, and he immediately surrounded himself with his red shield.

Link raised his left hand. The Triforce piece that once shone brightly had turned dark and began to pulse. Link thrust his hand to the side, causing a force to thrust Daruk off his feet and sliding against the ground until he hit a clustering of boulders, hard enough to cause them to shatter and crumble.

He picked up his dagger and his gaze fell upon his next target. Mipha stood with her own dagger in hand, held up in warning, but Link ignored the shaking dagger as he stepped forward.

"Link," she begged, her voice breaking. "Don't do this. I know you're in there, Link. Fight it!"

She gripped the dagger with both hands as he closed in until the tip of the blade rested against his chest.

"I won't do it," she sobbed softly. "Please, Link. Don't make me do it." She pressed the dagger harder into him, only enough to slightly break the skin.

Link looked down at the dagger, then back up to meet Mipha's gaze. In one, swift movement, he knocked the blade from her grasp and wrapped his fingers around her throat. Mipha clawed desperately at his hands as she gasped for air, but his fingers only tightened, cutting off her airway completely. She could feel herself fading fast at the hands of the man she loved. She met his gaze, but she could not see the blue eyes she had once found comfort in. She choked out his name one last time, pleading with him.

And then his grip loosened. His hand fell away from her throat and she collapsed to the ground, gasping desperately for air. Her hand moved to her throat, bruised and tender from his hard grasp, and she rubbed her fingers against the marks that were left there.

"Mipha."

Her gaze met familiar blue eyes. Link stepped backwards, his face whitened in horror at the realization at what he had done.

"Link," she breathed. "You're okay."

Link took another step backwards, his head shaking. He quickly looked around himself. Revali was still unconscious on the ground. Daruk was still on the ground, groaning as he tried to sit up. Paya, Zelda, Urbosa, Riju, and Kit stood grouped together, Paya at the front to defend them. He dragged his palms down his face, muttering to himself.

Mipha hurried to her feet, grabbing his wrist in her hand. "Link-"

Link pulled his wrist out of her grip. "Don't!"

Mipha hesitated, her arm still stretched out towards him. "Link..."

"Stay away from me," he hissed. "Don't you fucking come near me."

"Link," Mipha begged. "Wait a minute. Please. Just wait."

Link's eyes darted around once more. His friends regarded him warily, watching his every move. And as they should be; he had tried to kill them all.

His stomach churned sickeningly and his head began to spin. He took another step backwards, his heel hitting the edge of his blade. His eyes moved to the dagger and in that moment, he saw his only escape. He scooped up the dagger, holding it out before him, his hands shaking. He took another step backwards, followed by another, then another, until he hit the wall of the barn.

"No!" Mipha shouted to him.

But before Link could plunge the blade into him, it was knocked out of his hands. Revali was suddenly at his side, hunched over in pain and gasping for breath, but the blade was now in his hands. Revali dropped to his knees, but glanced up at Link with fury in his eyes. His lips pulled back in a pained snarl.

"Don't think you're doing us any favors," he hissed. He tossed the blade aside as Mipha hurried over to them and started to heal him. From across the way, Daruk was already back on his feet.

Before Link could even think to react further, Kit was pulling his arm and guiding him away from the others. His hand gripped his shoulder hard when they stopped, and Link realized then how weak his knees felt, though he forced himself to remain on his feet.

"I can't do this," Link said softly. "I'll kill someone. I can't, Kit. I can't."

"Stop," Kit hissed. "They won't let you, alright? You know that. We can fix this."

Link glanced warily at Mipha. She and Revali were both on their feet again. Revali regarded him carefully, but Link's gaze was on the bruise on Mipha's neck. She tore her gaze away and her hand moved to her neck to cover it.

Zelda jumped as her phone rang. Her fingers fumbled for the phone in her pocket, answering it quickly when she saw Teba's name on the screen. She answered with a simple "Yeah?" Her brows furrowed as she listened. Her head nodded and after a moment, she ended the call.

"We need to get back to the city," she said, turning to Paya and Urbosa. "We won't be long. When we get back, we're going straight to the Yiga Clan." She met Urbosa's gaze. "Don't let him out of your sight."

Urbosa nodded wordlessly and in a snap, Paya and Zelda were gone.


	27. Chapter 27

Teba had his hands in his pockets as he walked toward Zelda and Paya standing beside their car. They met at the outskirts of the city in hopes of avoiding anyone overhearing them as Zelda explained to Teba what had happened at the ranch.

"I can't stop them," Teba said. "Your father has his men all over Hyrule looking for Link."

"And Impa?"

"She's not against us," Teba said. "But she won't stand by if you try to leave again."

Zelda pinched her lips together.

"Your father has taken over completely," Teba continued. "He's been able to keep things quiet, but people are noticing."

"You should remain in the city," Paya said to Zelda. "At least for now. You will be safer here."

"The Yiga Clan -"

"The Champions can handle the Yiga Clan," Teba said. His brows furrowed. "I have to agree with everyone else. There's no sense in you going with them and walking right into their hands."

Zelda opened her mouth to argue, but Teba cut her off firmly.

"This is where I draw the line," he said fiercely. "You know I'm on your side. But I can't let you do this. You'll be doing more harm than good." His expression softened. "Please trust me. We need you in the city, at the very least, to keep your father in line." He offered her a smile.

"Fine," Zelda muttered. "But promise you won't keep things from me. I want constant updates on them."

"Of course."

Zelda turned back to the car. "Don't let them go to the Yiga Clan yet," she said. "I need to know how much of a threat Dorian is, first. I'm going to confront Impa."

Teba nodded. He said nothing further as they got into the car and he watched them drive out of sight. He leaned against his car and took out his phone, dialing Revali.

"How's everything going?"

"Peachy," Revali muttered. "Not tense at all. We're having fucking tea."

"I get it," Teba growled. "Tone the sarcasm down."

Revali sighed. "You don't get it," he said. "We don't have time."

"Zelda doesn't want you going after the Yiga Clan. Not yet."

Revali was quiet on the line for a moment. "Fine," he muttered. "She has her reasons. But I'm not going to be the one to kill him if it comes down to that."

Zelda and Paya stood before Impa. She was seated at her desk, regarding them fiercely, waiting for them to speak, but Zelda was hesitant.

"Don't take me for a fool, Your Highness," Impa sneered. "Whatever you think you need to tell me, I already know."

Zelda's gaze narrowed on her. "I want the truth."

Impa stood and placed her hands on her desk. "You first, Sheik."

Zelda's eyes widened, but her expression quickly turned to a sneer.

"You are a fool," Impa spat. "You cannot walk right into their hands, Zelda. The moment they get you, it's all over. You need to understand that. You need to sit this out."

"I need to fix Link -"

"Link's gone!" Impa snapped. "It's too late for him."

"It's not! Purah said so herself."

"Purah doesn't know for a fact," Impa said. "She can only make guesses based on her own research. Without the Sheikah Slate -"

"Then we get our hands on the Sheikah Slate," Zelda said fiercely.

Impa held her gaze on Zelda. "Don't you think I have my men on that?"

Zelda hesitated. "And who, exactly, have you sent out to retrieve it?"

"Dorian, of course."

Zelda stiffened, but said nothing more. She had to force herself from turning to Paya to keep from letting her guard down. If Impa had sent Dorian to retrieve the slate, that would explain why they saw him. However, it did not explain why he strolled around their hidden base so openly, as if he belonged there with the Yiga. She couldn't read Impa; she couldn't tell if she knew this or not. Either she was being played, too, or Impa was just as involved. She chose instead not to confront her, but keep the knowledge to herself.

"Stay in the city," Impa said calmly. "I know you're in contact with them, and I know you won't tell me where they are, but tell them to stay away from the Yiga Clan. Let Dorian do his job. Once we get the slate back, we can discuss things further."

Without a word, Zelda and Paya left Impa alone. When she was sure they were out of earshot, she sat back at her desk and picked up the phone. When Dorian's voice answered, she spoke.

"They know."

The Champions - minus their two fearless leaders - were gathered outside of the barn when Aryll and Talon returned. She trotted her horse to them and dismounted, talking excitedly to Talon as he carefully slipped off his own horse.

"That goat thought he could get away from me. Ha! What a joke! I bet I could herd 'em faster than Link!"

Talon nodded over to the Champions as he took his horse by the reins. "Without question," he said. "Just don't tell Link I said that."

Aryll grinned and patted her horse's neck. She turned her gaze to Mipha. "Where is he?"

"Inside with Kit," Mipha said softly.

Aryll frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Revali said quickly.

Talon hesitated, then turned to give the reins to Aryll. "Why don'tcha take care of 'em for me?" He offered her a reassuring smile, then watched as she walked the two horses into the barn. He turned back to the group with a hand raised.

"I don't wanna know what trouble you fugitives got yaselves inta," he said. "The less I know, the better. I'm sure ya got a plan goin' on, 'n' tha's fine. Whatever ya need from me, jest lemme know." He thrust a thumb over his shoulder. "I got beds 'n' couches, 'n' s'long as Aryll can keep helpin' me out 'round here, you can raid my fridge. But this ain't no bed 'n' breakfast. I'm only doin' it for Link 'n' Ary, so ya best keep 'em safe, got it?"

Aryll listened closely as she quietly unsaddled the horses. It seemed like everyone would be sticking around, keeping a watchful eye on her and Link. Something had happened while she and Talon were out, but of course they never explained it to Talon, and she was sure they were going to keep her in the dark as well.

When she returned the horses to the paddock, everyone was gone. She didn't know where they had gone off to, but she didn't particularly care. She wanted to make sure Link was at least alright.

He was laying on the couch when Aryll made her way inside the farmhouse. He had his hands on his face. She watched him for a moment as she walked across the room.

"Talon says I heard goats better than you," she said with a smile in an attempt to ease the tension in the room. But Link did not respond, and her smile disappeared. He didn't even turn to regard her. He looked lifeless as he stared blankly at the ceiling. Her brows furrowed in concern. "Have you gotten any sleep?"

Still, he did not respond. Aryll made her way into kitchen, peering inside the fridge. She called to him over her shoulder. "Are you hungry? I'm hungry. I don't feel like doing any cooking, though." She cocked her head to the side as she inspected the contents. "Want cold pizza?" She took the box out and set it on the table. She sat, helping herself to a cold slice. "You should eat something."

To her relief, Link got up from the couch. He dragged his feet across the floor, sitting at the table across from her with a sigh. He took a slice for himself and with his cheek against his palm, took a disinterested bite. Aryll busied herself with her phone as she ate, scrolling mindlessly through her apps. There were a few unanswered texts from Cremia and Anju, and she decided to give them a brief reply, if only to reassure them that she were still alive. She at least owed them that after her sudden disappearance, even if she couldn't tell them what had happened.

"You know," she started. "I took this new history class last semester. Except they don't want to call it a history class." She paused to take another bite. "It's about Hylia and all the trials Hyrule has gone through since the beginning of Demise's curse."

"There's a class for that?" Link said, staring at his pizza.

Aryll nodded. "It almost didn't happen. Apparently it caused a big controversy with some of the parents. They didn't want legends to be taught in a history class. Can you believe that? After everything they've seen, they don't believe their own history. It's like they refuse to admit it."

"Can you blame them?"

Aryll shook her head. "No one knows the truth anymore. People need to know the truth. If we keep forgetting about the curse, we'll be doomed. Society will be the reason we fall to Ganondorf. We cannot forget our own history. If we keep it alive, we can better prepare ourselves in the future." She finished her pizza and met Link's gaze. "That's what I want to do. I want to educate people. I don't want them to forget." She paused in thought. "Maybe I could be some kind of Historian. I bet Impa would let me be an honorary Sheikah. I could work for Zelda."

Link shook his head. "You can't force people to believe anything," Link said.

"How can you say that?" Aryll said. "After everything you've done for Hyrule. You'll just fade away like every other hero. Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

Aryll stared at her brother. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, she turned her gaze back to her phone. "Why?" she asked softly.

Link didn't answer her. To his relief, Kit walked in at that moment, a case of beer in his arms.

"Stocking up?" Link asked with a raised brow.

Kit put the case on the table with a sigh. "I should have raided the bar," Kit said. "Before someone else breaks in and takes my shit." He opened the case and grabbed a can. "Who knows when I'll see the place again."

"No one's making you stay here," Link said.

"This is more fun," Kit said. "Honorary Champion and all."

"Keep dreaming," Aryll muttered. She stood from the table and made her way out of the kitchen.

Kit opted to sit in her empty seat. He pushed the case of beer towards Link, but Link turned away from the offer.

"Revali said we've been put on hold," Kit said as he drank. "Orders from her highness herself. What do you think that's all about?"

Link's brows furrowed. "I don't like her being alone in the city."

"She has Paya and Teba," Kit reminded him. "I'm sure she has her reasons. Guess we're camping out here for a while."

"We don't have time for that," Link said.

Kit frowned. "I don't make the rules," he said. "Guess we just need to wait and see."

But Link knew what would come of him if they wasted their time waiting. He wasn't about to let himself turn and destroy all of Hyrule. He didn't care what Zelda's reasons were; the Yiga Clan needed to be stopped before it was too late. And he was going to be the one to end them.

It seemed his friends were insistent on babysitting him. Though they never said it outright, he knew they were watching him closely. Not only that, but Mipha had kept her distance, though he had the feeling that wasn't exactly by choice. She would never so willingly stay away from him. But then again, he had tried to kill her with his own hands. He couldn't keep the images out of his head, and it caused his stomach to churn sickeningly. It seemed likely that she was avoiding him of her own accord. She was afraid of him. She couldn't trust him like she used to, and that killed him the most.

It was late when everyone turned in for the night, though Daruk seemed too eager to stay up with Link. Clearly it was his turn to take up the duty of babysitting. He didn't think it would be easy to shake off his best friend, but he was determined.

"I know what you guys are doing," Link said. Except from the light of the tv, the room was dark.

Daruk didn't turn to him, or offer any explanation, as he knew that Link did not need one. Link didn't push it further, either. Even though it aggravated him, he understood. In fact, he didn't want to really be left alone, anyway. If something happened again, he had to be stopped. Still, it would make his plans of sneaking out to go to the Yiga Clan by himself difficult.

But, whether it was due to the dark room or his lack of conversation, Daruk eventually drifted off to sleep, snoring softly. He didn't wake when Link stood, and Link started to feel guilty for what he was about to do. Not only to Daruk, but to Aryll and Mipha as well. It certainly wouldn't clear him of his guilt, or right his wrongs by any means, but he couldn't just leave without a goodbye. So he made his way into the kitchen where he scribbled quickly on a piece of paper, leaving it folded on the table.

He tiptoed through the sleeping house, hesitating at the door with his hand on the knob. He pulled it open quietly, glancing one last time at Daruk sleeping soundly on the couch. His lips pinched together and he stepped outside, closing the door quietly behind him.

He hurried to his car, slipping in behind the wheel. Thanks to Paya and Zelda, he had the coordinates he needed to get him to the Yiga Clan hideout. He knew he would have to walk through most of the desert, so it seemed unlikely he would be able to bring all the c4 he had in his trunk, but he could at least bring enough to leave a pretty good mark. It wouldn't wipe them out completely, but it would at least give him the edge he needed, considering he would be severely outnumbered - and out powered. Without wasting another second, he turned the key in the ignition and peeled out of the driveway towards the desert.

Aryll hadn't seen her brother at all the next morning, but she thought nothing of it due to the early hour. The house seemed to be empty, and she saw no sign of the other Champions. She eagerly made her way to the barn to help Talon with the animals. For the next couple of hours, she busied herself with feeding them their breakfasts, cleaning the stalls, and collecting eggs. It was near noon when she finally returned to the house, her stomach begging her for lunch.

But once in the kitchen, her attention was caught by a piece of folded paper on the table. She picked it up and her eyes traced the words on the page. The note dropped from her hands and she pulled her phone quickly out of her pocket, dialing her brother's number, but his phone went straight to voicemail.

She stared at the unfolded note that lay on the table.

 _Don't look for me. I'm sorry._


	28. Chapter 28

"What do you mean you can't find him?" Zelda hissed. The Champions stood before her, looking equal parts guilty and worried. After searching for Link most of the morning, they opted to return to the city, hoping he had gone to talk to Zelda. Zelda's reaction, however, proved how wrong they were. Hyrule's Hero was officially missing in action.

Daruk cursed under his breath. "Son of a bitch," he hissed.

"You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him," Revali sneered at him.

"Shut your beak," Daruk barked at him.

Mipha's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket. Aryll's name flashed on the screen and she answered it quickly. "Hey, what's up?"

"Mipha," Aryll sobbed softly. "He's gone, Mipha. He left!"

Mipha's heart stopped. "What do you mean he left?"

Her voice shook as she spoke. "He left. He just left. Just a note. Gone." She sobbed into the phone.

Mipha's eyes darted quickly around the room. "Okay," she said softly. "Okay. Just stay there. We're coming." She ended the call and stared at the floor for a moment.

"Mipha?" Urbosa asked carefully. "What happened?"

"He planned this," she said softly.

"He went to the Yiga Clan," Paya said. "I'm sure of it."

The others nodded, sharing in her conclusion.

"We need to go," Daruk said. "Now."

"Listen to me," Zelda hissed. "We can't talk about this here. I don't know if we can trust Impa, or even my father for that matter. Just bring him back alive."

"It will take a day's drive to get to the desert," Mipha said. "And at least another day to walk through the desert, assuming we don't get lost in the process."

"That's too long," Revali said. He turned to Paya. "Can't you poof us there?"

Paya hesitated. "I can," she started.

"But?"

"But, I can really only get you to the desert. Too close to their hideout, and they will be able to sense you all." She shook her head. "And I can't do it here in the city, either. Not without my grandmother knowing. I can meet you back at the ranch, but it probably won't be until tomorrow."

"We'd get there in the same damn time if we just drove," Daruk said.

"We'll be better off with Paya's help," Urbosa said.

Zelda nodded. "She can guide you through the desert. But right now, we're under close watch from Impa." She turned to Paya. "Meet them at the ranch tomorrow. Bring Link back."

"I don't like this," Kit said, crossing his arms. "The longer we wait -"

"I know," Zelda hissed at him. "But we don't have a choice right now. My father has his men out hunting him right now. We can't give him an clues that we know where he is. Understand?"

It wasn't ideal, but the Champions agreed. At the very least, they would have time to prepare themselves, as they were sure infiltrating the Yiga Clan to find Link would not come without its battles.

It was near noon when Link finally reached the edge of the desert. He drove as far as he was able, stopping at the closest point he could get to the given coordinates. He continued on foot, taking the most direct route possible. The desert heat proved to be just as unbearable as before when he, Mipha, and Aryll made their escape. But he was determined to get as far as possible before the night brought on its chill.

To his relief, he was able to get through the desert before nightfall, now that he had a better sense of where he was going. The sun was just beginning its descent when he made his way over the mountain range and into the familiar valley where the Yiga Clan hideout lay.

He kept to the shadows as he walked along the cliffs, examining the area below. From the height he was it, it was nearly impossible to see just how to get in to their base. Not only that, but he didn't have a very good layout of the base, either, except from what he could barely recall from their earlier escape. He didn't have a clue as to where to plant the C4, and he knew he wouldn't be able to scope the base so freely, searching for the perfect spot.

He thought, then, that his best bet would be to at least plant C4 near the entrance to the base. Worst case, he could block their way out, and with a little luck, threaten the integrity of the structure and cause a cave in. Of course, he would likely die in the process, but that was of little concern to him. He simply wanted to do as much damage as possible while he still had the chance.

Link set forth, beginning his descent down the cliff. The approaching night, however, left him straining to see as the dark settled upon the land. He was already hot, tired, and dehydrated, which didn't help in the situation he put himself in. So it shouldn't have surprised him when he stupidly tripped over a clustering of rocks and tumbled down the rest of the slope of the cliff. He groaned when he finally stopped rolling and struggled to push himself upright. He cursed himself for being so stupid, but he knew he couldn't stop to rest. Time was not on his side, and he was too close to them now.

He got back to his feet and looked around. He couldn't see much in the dark, but the light of the moon was enough to show him that he was off his original course. In fact, he had rolled down much further than he originally thought, and upon further inspection, he realized then that he would have to climb out of the hole he had apparently gotten himself into.

He quickly realized, however, that the hole was not merely an empty space in the ground. Instead, he seemed to be somewhere within the Yiga Clan base. He immediately recognized the banners that hung on the wall bearing the Yiga Clan emblem. The room he was in was open to the night sky, though covered by an overhang which offered the perfect covering for anyone who may have stumbled upon the valley. No one would have looked twice, as it seemed to move seamlessly with the rest of the landscape of the valley. But by some dumb luck, his stumble brought him right into the space between the overhang and the ground, sending him into the round room below.

Even better, he seemed to have gotten in unnoticed.

He wasn't about to take advantage of his luck. He quickly set to work, scanning the room and working diligently to place the C4 he carried with him around the room. With enough there, he could easily cause a cave in and block one way out.

When he felt satisfied with his work, he decided to press on and explore the rest of the base. However, there didn't seem to be any notable way in. He pressed himself against the wall in hope of keeping out of sight, should a Yiga soldier wander by, and he quickly inspected the room further. He noted the bottom corner of one of the banners fluttering lightly. With no breeze, that could have only meant that there was a space somewhere. He quickly moved to the banner, keeping himself pressed against the wall as he examined it. He lifted it carefully, but there seemed to be only the wall behind it. He pressed it carefully with his hand and noticed it give slightly. He slipped under the banner, pressed both hands against the wall, and pushed his weight against it, and the wall gave. It turned slightly and opened, and he quickly slipped inside.

To his relief, the next room appeared to be empty as well. It was smaller and seemed to be a sort of storage room. Various crates lined the walls, and a few weapons were laid out on some of the wooden tables. He eagerly selected one of the blades, then continued forward to the door on the other side of the room. Again, he pressed himself against the wall and peered around the corner.

The next room was not empty. In fact, it seemed to be a barracks of sorts, where many of the Yiga soldiers were gathered. Some were sleeping soundly, while others chatted amongst themselves. A radio came to life at that moment, and they fell silent as they listened to the staticed voice.

"... activity at the southern cliffs."

The Yiga soldiers quickly sprang to their feet, grabbing their weapons and moving to wake their comrades. They hurried out of the barracks, leaving the room empty.

Link hesitated, waiting, listening. There was no way he could be so lucky. Clearly they were alerted to his stumbling down the cliff, but he didn't think they would all up and leave the base just on that. He was sure that they were simply hurrying to their posts to keep guard around the base should he get in. Moving forward through the base would prove to be even more difficult with the entire Yiga Clan alerted to his presence.

A hand suddenly gripped his wrist hard while another moved over his mouth simultaneously. His arm was yanked backwards behind him, and for a moment, he thought his elbow would snap under the force. He shouted at himself internally for not noticing the damn Yiga that snuck up behind up. He struggled for a moment, but he was pushed forcefully into the wall, and a boot kicked at the back of his legs. His knees weakened slightly, almost buckling out from under him.

"Don't make a damn sound," an all too familiar voice hissed in his ear. Just as soon as his father spoke, his grip loosened on his son, and Link spun around to meet his father's gaze.

"What the fuck," Link muttered.

Rusl's gaze narrowed on him. "The fuck did I just say?" He hissed.

Link continued to stare dumbly at his father, his mind racing.

"Idiot," Rusl spat. He started to pace before his son. "I fucking knew you would be here. I fucking called it. And here you fucking are. This is fucking suicide, you know that, right?"

Link watched his father pacing, his mouth hanging open. It had to have been another hallucination. It was the only explanation.

"Snap out of it," Rusl growled. He pushed Link back against the wall. "I would rather not have to drag your ass out of here, got it?"

Link nodded stupidly, still at a loss for words. No, that wasn't completely true. He had many words he wanted to say to his supposedly dead father. Too many words. He didn't know what he wanted to say first.

Rusl gripped Link's shirt and pulled him forward. "Let's go," he hissed. "Get your head in the game or we'll both be dead."

Link opened his mouth to speak, but only uttered intangible nonsense.

"I'll answer everything later, alright?" he said in a frustrated tone.

Link swallowed. His gaze hardened on his father, and he raised his gun.

Rusl's eyes narrowed on his son. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

"You're working with them."

His gaze softened for a moment. "Don't be an idiot," he said. "Why would you think that?"

Link hesitated, the doubt flashing across his face in a moment of weakness, but he quickly regained himself. "I saw you," he said through gritted teeth. "This is all you're doing. You tried to have me killed!"

Rusl stared blankly at his son, then his gaze narrowed once more. "You really are an idiot. Put the fucking gun down; you're not gonna kill me."

Link's expression softened as he studied his father. His arm relaxed, and he lowered the gun slightly. He didn't know what to believe anymore. There was a chance that his encounter with him was just a hallucination. But was that a chance he was willing to take? Could he trust his father after all the years of lying?

He lowered his weapon completely, though his expression still showed that he was torn between his decisions.

"I don't know what you think you're doing here," Rusl continued. He pulled his gaze away and looked around them. "But it's suicide."

"I know."

Rusl glanced at his son angrily. "We don't have time to waste," he said, stepping forward. "Let's move."

Link followed his father as they ran as quietly as they could, keeping close to the wall and peering around corners as they navigated the Yiga base.

"Where are we going?" Link hissed.

Rusl pressed his back against the wall as he heard voices. "We're getting out of here."

Link readied his weapon. "No way," he whispered. "I'm not done here."

"Well I am," Rusl snapped. "I'm not letting you do something stupid."

Link opened his mouth to argue further, but his father suddenly threw himself against him and they both fell to the floor as a blade rushed passed, striking the wall behind them where it stuck. Rusl was pulling him up suddenly and they broke into a sprint to dash across the round room where Link first stumbled in. But as they neared their exit, Yiga foot soldiers flashed before their eyes, blocking their path. They quickly circled around them.

Link and Rusl stood back to back, their eyes darting around them as the Yiga soldiers closed in. Link could feel the familiar sensation of the darkness creeping up on him, clouding the edges of his mind. But instead of fighting it, he willed it to take over. If there was any chance of getting out alive, it would be to risk the change and give himself the power he needed. But before he lost himself completely, he used the last of his consciousness to push his father down onto the ground, praying silently that whatever happened after that, his father would be smart enough to stay out of his way. And then he was gone.

Link's eyes flashed red. His gaze shot up to the Yiga soldiers around him. They were no longer closing in, hesitant as the change took over. They stepped back cautiously, and Link sprang into action. He thrust his palm to the ground, causing the world to tremble beneath their feet. The ground exploded suddenly, the force of the attack sending the Yiga flying backwards. Many of them, however, were quick to return to their feet, and they lunged at Link with everything they had.

The first few Yiga came at him simultaneously with their weapons. Though he was quicker and stronger in his darkened state, he couldn't possibly avoid their quick and sudden onslaught. He reached for the closest Yiga as they dropped on him, ripping the blade out of his hand and throwing him into the ground with a great force. He spun on his heels as a few of the other blades sliced across his body, but he brought his own blade with him, slicing upwards at his attackers. The Yiga that took the brunt of his attack dropped to the ground, then quickly sprang backwards as his blade came down once more on the other Yiga that had lunged at him.

When the first round of Yiga soldiers had cleared out of the way, the rest were quick to step in, relying not on their weapons, but instead resorting to their own powers. They rushed at him with incredible speed, and Link could only manage to avoid the first two before their hidden blades struck him as they rushed around him. Link thrust his palm to the ground once more, but the Yiga were quick to dodge his attack, lunging backwards and throwing their palms out toward him.

Their unified assault came in the form of tiny, shadow-like daggers that rushed toward Link suddenly. Unable to avoid the attack, the daggers tore through him, bringing him to his knees. But as he stumbled forward, he thrust his arm to the side, and the shadowed daggers came to a sudden stop as if hitting a wall. They dropped to the ground and instantly disappeared. Link pulled himself to his feet, but the darkness was starting to weaken. He thrust his palm out in one last attempt to pull all his power through him, and the Yiga soldiers were sent flying backward against the far wall. With his other arm, he mimicked their shadowed attack, and they dropped to the ground. Those that survived disappeared quickly, leaving Link and Rusl alone for the moment.

The darkness subsided suddenly and Link dropped to the ground. Without the energy from the dark power pulsing through him in his enhanced state, the wounds he had suffered became more severe, and he gasped from the sudden pain that washed through him.

Rusl dropped to his son's side, pulling him upright. He caught him as Link drifted briefly into unconsciousness, and he groaned as he came to once more. Rusl pushed Link's hair out of his face and searched his eyes, but they had turned back to their familiar blue. His eyes closed and his body fell limp in Rusl's arms.

"No! Come on, kid," he muttered as he held his son. "Stay with me." His gaze hardened as Link returned to a conscious state and Rusl dragged him up onto his feet.

"I don't even want to fucking know right now," Rusl muttered, allowing Link to balance himself on him. For the moment, it seemed he would stay conscious. Hopefully long enough for them to escape. "Can you move?"

Link nodded weakly and pushed himself away from his father. He stumbled slightly, but otherwise moved forward, and Rusl quickly followed. They quickly made their way out of the Yiga hideout and into the valley of the desert, but their escape was cut short once more as several more Yiga soldiers appeared to surround them.

Rusl pushed Link behind him. His fierce gaze moved around the Yiga soldiers as they began to close in. There was nothing either of them could do to defend themselves, now. Their fate was at its end.

Dorian stood in the shadows of the high walls and mountains that surrounded the Yiga Clan hideout. His brows knit together angrily as he watched the Yiga soldiers surround Rusl and Link. He cursed them under his breath. "Fucking Hylians," he muttered to himself. "You both will be the death of me." He raised an arm, his palm out in their direction, and in a snap, they were gone.


	29. Chapter 29

The Champions were gathered at the ranch once more, standing outside of the barn. They were in the midst of a heated argument about their next move when the air stirred. There was a loud crack as if lightning split the ground, but there wasn't a storm cloud in sight. They turned to the source of the sound only to see Link on his hands and knees, gasping from the wounds that marked his body. To their surprise, he was not alone. Rusl stood above him, looking down at his son, his face pale. Their silent gazes moved between Rusl and Link before Daruk finally spoke.

"What the fuck?" he muttered.

Mipha hurried to Link, dropping to her knees beside him. Link tried his best to push her hands away, but she pushed back harder – easy enough to do in his weakened state – and began to heal him as quickly as possible.

"Where have you been?" Daruk hissed.

Link winced as Mipha worked, looking up to briefly meet Daruk's gaze. His eyes narrowed. "Working."

Daruk scowled at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Saving the world," Link growled. "Kicking Yiga ass."

"It looks like you're the one that got your ass kicked," Kit said.

Link spat blood at the ground. He pushed Mipha away, getting to his feet before she had finished healing him. She searched his darkened blue eyes, catching flecks of red still in them. When he turned his eyes to her, she tore her gaze away.

"So," Revali started. "Are we going to address the giant fucking elephant standing right fucking there?" He gestured a hand to Rusl.

Their gazes moved back to Rusl. Link stared blankly at his father, almost as surprised as the first time he saw him, as if he hadn't expected him to be there. His face creased in disbelief and confusion. And then, after a moment, anger, as his brows furrowed together. "You," he hissed. "You lied to me." It wasn't a question. His teeth grit together. "You lied to Aryll."

"I did what I had to do," Rusl said sternly. "To keep you both out of this mess."

"This mess?" Link sneered. "Aryll was eleven years old. I had to tell her her father died." His nostrils flared. "Is this a joke to you?"

Rusl, too, started to grown angry at his son's accusations. "Do you think I would have done this if I had a choice?" he hissed.

Link bit his tongue in an attempt to remain calm. Already, he could feel the darkness start to cloud his mind. He had to stay in control. His eyes flashed threateningly dark and he pulled his gaze away from his father. "Fuck you," he hissed before walking away.

Rusl watched as his son disappeared into the barn, then turned his attention back to Link's friends. They stared at him with a mix of emotions, though Revali,

Daruk, and Kit seemed to regard him with disapproving stares. His brows furrowed angrily, and in a huff, he turned and marched away in the opposite direction.

"He faked his death," Kit said bitterly. "That's fucked up."

Urbosa frowned. "He wouldn't do that without good reason," she said. "There's more to this than we realize."

An uneasy silence fell over the group. Mipha stepped away from the group and hurried after Link. She found him in the barn where he was pacing angrily and cursing under his breath. He paused when she stepped over the threshold of the barn and met her gaze. His shoulders dropped, his stiff posture instantly relaxing as she approached him.

"Where's Aryll?" he asked quickly.

"She went out back with Talon to help him fix some fencing." Mipha hesitated when he did not respond. "Are you… alright?" She didn't necessarily mean it in regards to his father's sudden appearance. She studied his eyes carefully, but he seemed to be back to normal.

"Fine," he muttered. While the darkness seemed to remain at bay, his emotions ran wild.

Mipha pressed her lips together. "She's worried sick about you," she said softly. "Goddesses, what the hell were you thinking?"

Link sighed through his nose. "I thought I could take care of everything myself."

"How did that turn out?" Mipha said dryly. "Will you stop with this impulsive shit already?"

The corners of his lips tugged into a small smile. "I know," he started, and the smile quickly disappeared. "I'm sorry." He pulled his gaze away. "I wanted to do what I could before…" He didn't need to finish the sentence.

"You're not going anywhere," Mipha said.

Link glanced at her. He was not as confident as she was, but he didn't bother voice his thoughts further with her. Though, if one good thing came out of it all, it was that Aryll would not be alone if something were to happen to him. At least she would have her father, no matter how much he hated him in that moment.

Rusl leaned against the paddock fence on the other side of the house. He put out his cigarette on the wood post as Kit approached with two bottles in hand. He stood beside Rusl, popped open one of the bottles, and offered it to Rusl. He took it wordlessly, but offered a nod in thanks. They drank in silence for a moment before Kit finally spoke.

"So, back from the dead," he said with a grin, but Rusl did not appreciate the joke. Kit's grin quickly disappeared and he stared into his bottle. "You know," he said after another moment. "I met Link and those stupid ass friends of his five years ago." He smiled lightly at the memory, then chuckled. "They came stumblin' in, barely after noon. The kinda guys I get at that time aren't the kinda guys I thought they were." He shook his head and drank his beer. When he finished, he continued. "Nah, these guys were dressed to the nines, lookin' all fancy in their dumbass suits." He shrugged. "Figured it was some kinda bachelor party still drunk from the night before, yanno?" He used his bottle to point in front of him, as if he were gesturing to the three men that entered his bar. "But I recognized them almost right away, of course. Who wouldn't, right? Hyrule's heroes. Except Link - he didn't have that same dumb baby face I used to see on the news. Sure, he may have grown up a little bit since then. You know. Definitely not maturity wise." He snorted and grinned, glancing over at Rusl, but Rusl did not meet his gaze. His eyes were hard as he stared at the ground, listening to Kit ramble on.

"Anyway," Kit continued. "I was ready to totally exploit the hell outta them, you know? Come to my bar - Hyrule's Champions drink here! What better way to take in new customers?" He took another sip of his beer. The bottle barely had a chance to leave his lips when he spoke again in a tone that suggested he had heard the most interesting thing in the world. "Turns out," he started, "they had just left your funeral." Kit let his words hang in the silence between them for a moment. He stared ahead, but felt Rusl's gaze on him.

"He never left my bar after that," Kit said softly. "For five long years, I had his beer cold, open, and waiting for him at his usual seat in the corner. Mostly, he'd just sit and stare at nothing. But sometimes we'd talk. Sometimes, we'd drink. Sometimes, we'd waste the night crawling around the city looking for something to distract us from life." He paused. "Five years," he repeated. "Five years I watched him drown." His brows furrowed and he turned his gaze to Rusl. "That damn kid's a mess, you know. I think the only thing that kept him going was Aryll. He did everything he damn well could for her. To make her life as normal as possible. Isn't that what everyone deserves?" He turned his gaze away and finished his beer. "He sure as hell didn't get that."

"Do you think I need to be reminded that I'm a shitty person?" Rusl sneered.

"Nah," Kit said, shaking his head. "I'm sure it eats you the fuck up." He hesitated. "I just hope to hell there was a good fucking reason for putting him through all that shit. He deserves the truth."

"I know," Rusl said softly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, then hung his head.

Kit shrugged. "But I'm just a bartender," he said. "I bring beer when times are tough, and sometimes offer a little wisdom." He finished his beer. "If you're gonna be back from the dead, at least be there. Stick around for a while." He tipped an imaginary hat at him before leaving Rusl alone once more.

Rusl stayed where he was for a few minutes more, finishing his beer, before finally deciding to find Link, who he had admittedly been trying to avoid since he stormed off. He always hoped he could be reunited with his children again, though this was not the way he had imagined it. He couldn't blame his son for being so angry with him, however. At the very least, he owed his son an explanation.

It didn't take him long to find Link. Though it was still daylight, the barn was dim and cool. He shuffled inside without greeting.

Link glanced over his shoulder, but seeing it was only his father, he turned back to the stall where hungry goat eyes looked up at him. He tossed in the flakes of hay and closed the door. "What do you want?" he muttered.

"I'm sorry," Rusl said. "I know things haven't seemed fair -"

"Fair?" Link snapped, turning to face his father. "What would you know about fair?"

Rusl sucked in a breath in an attempt to remain calm with his son. "Look," he started, but Link cut him off.

"No," he snarled. "You have no idea what we've been through. There's a damn gravestone with your name on it. You don't get to talk about fair. You were gone. You left us alone. I gave up everything. I took on everything. I raised Aryll. I stayed up with her every night when she cried. I covered her ass when she got suspended from school. I worked a hundred damn hours so she could have a friggin place to live. And you think you can just come back from the fucking dead and everything will be the same?"

"Nothing will ever be the same," Rusl hissed. "That's what you don't get, Link."

"Then why don't you enlighten me?" Link snarled.

"The Yiga are hunting you," Rusl said. "They've been hunting you since the day you were born, and they won't stop until they have you."

"Well, I hate to break it to ya," Link started, "but they already got their damn hands on me."

"I know," Rusl said through clenched teeth. He turned his gaze down at the ground. "I did everything I could to keep you and Aryll safe," he said. "That's why I was gone. I was tracking them down. I was trying to eliminate the problem, following Roham's orders, but they got to me first." He hesitated. "As far as anyone knew, I was dead. I should have been dead. I was there for years before I got out." He pulled his gaze away. "I couldn't just walk back into your life after that," he continued. "You were better off believing I was gone."

"I was, or you were?" Link hissed.

"What would you have done?" Rusl snapped. "If I came back?"

Link narrowed his gaze on his father. "I would have destroyed them."

This seemed to be exactly the response Rusl expected. His shoulders relaxed slightly. "And that's why I didn't come back."

Link stared at his father. He opened his mouth to speak, but his sister's voice caught his attention.

"Link?"

Link moved his gaze passed his father to where Aryll stood in the doorway of the barn. Her brows were furrowed as her gaze fell on the man that stood between her and her brother. After a moment, a wave of realization washed over her face.

"Dad?"

Rusl hesitated, meeting Link's angry gaze. He turned to look at his daughter over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Hey, Ary."

Aryll ran to her father and jumped into his arms. It didn't matter how much bigger she was since Rusl had last seen his daughter; he let her jump on him all the same and wrapped his arms around her. Aryll buried her face in her father's neck and sobbed.

Link's clenched jaw relaxed for the first time that day as he watched his sister and father together. Rusl kissed her forehead and she pushed herself away to examine him, as if to make sure he were real. Unlike Link, she didn't once question her father's appearance, but simply treasured the fact that he was alive and back in their world.

After a moment, Aryll turned her gaze to her brother, but Link's hardened expression had softened. Aryll was grinning, wider than he had seen on her in a long time. However, her brows furrowed when her brother did not seem as overjoyed as she was.

"What's wrong?"

Link shook his head. "Nothing."

Aryll held her gaze on him a moment longer. She knew when he was keeping things from her, but in that moment, she didn't particularly care. Her father was alive. Her family was whole again. She turned back to Rusl, grinning once more, though her vision had started to blur. She hugged him tightly again and cried quietly against him.

"Damn it, you're not ten years old anymore," Rusl said as he kissed her head.

Aryll laughed lightly. "Yeah, Dad, duh."

Rusl pushed her away and this time, he seemed to inspect her. "Goddesses, I missed you grow up." He wiped the back of his hand across his eyes.

"It wasn't that exciting," Aryll said with a grin.

Rusl frowned. He let his fingers brush her hair out of her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ary."

She hugged him again. "I know," she said. "I forgive you."

They didn't pull apart until Link stepped around them, and without a word, left them alone in the barn.

Aryll stared out the doorway of the barn and frowned. She sniffed and wiped at her own tears. "Why… what… What's his damn problem?"

"He has every right to be mad at me," Rusl said.

Aryll's brows knit together. "No, he doesn't. Why can't he just be happy? He's a fucking idiot."

Rusl smiled. "Um. Language."

Aryll's expression turned suddenly guilty, and Rusl laughed.

"That's what happens when you leave me with that idiot," Aryll muttered.

Rusl frowned. "Why aren't you mad at me?"

Aryll met his gaze. "Because I know you didn't have a choice." She turned her gaze back out the door. "Just like Link." She sighed softly and met her father's gaze again. "He knows that, too. He'll come around."

"I'm not so sure," Rusl said. "I've kept a lot of secrets from him."

"Link thinks he can save everyone," Aryll said. Her voice softened. "He'll die trying."

"Yeah," Rusl muttered. "That's what I've been trying to prevent." He sighed. "I'm pretty sure the last conversation we had -"

"Was about my summer reading project before I started middle school."

Rusl smiled. "You hated that book."

"I set it on fire."

"Link let you play with matches?"

"Please," she said. "He didn't let me do anything." She shrugged. "You know how that goes. I turned into a rebellious teen." She grinned. "I think I gave him a few strokes."

"No wonder he's so bitter."

Aryll frowned. "Yeah."

"You can go back to being six years old, now."

"I would love nothing more," she said. "I'd much rather be coloring or something."

"Painting my toenails?"

Aryll grinned. "I'm guessing you didn't miss that."

Rusl hugged his daughter once more. "I even missed the stupid peanut butter and banana sandwiches."


	30. Chapter 30

His friends were gathered in the front hall when Link made his way into the house. They stopped talking as soon as he entered and watched him carefully as he closed the door. He leaned against the door, his hands in his pockets and looking down at his feet. His brows furrowed as he tried to sort through his thoughts. His voice was soft when he finally spoke.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"What do you want to do?" Urbosa asked.

"I don't know," Link muttered. His expression hardened. "I don't know if I can trust him."

"Hold up," Revali said quickly. He narrowed his eyes on Link. "Why not?"

Link met his gaze. "He could be working with the Yiga."

"No, fuck off," Revali hissed. "I know you're a little messed up in the head right now and you have your issues, but I can tell you for a fact that he's not."

"You're pretty confident about that," Riju muttered.

"Yeah," Revali started. "Fuck right I am. There's no way in hell he would do that. Not to you." His shoulders dropped as he looked around at his friends. "You may not realize it, but we do. Ten years ago, he would have destroyed Ganondorf himself if you hadn't come back from the dead. And then he would have destroyed all of us for letting you die. That's not something a Yiga bitch would have done."

"Well," Riju said, her head cocking slightly. "The Yiga Clan do want to destroy us all."

"You know what I mean," Revali muttered.

"He could have just been pissed off that the hero died before they could get their hands on him," Kit chimed in.

"You're not helping!" Revali snapped.

Daruk nodded. "Revali's right. We trust him. No one blames you for not trusting him, but." He shrugged. "I think you should."

The others nodded wordlessly in agreement.

Link turned his gaze back to his feet, but before he could think to say anything, Aryll tried to open the door, muttering at him through the crack.

"Get outta the way, idiot."

Link stepped to the side as Aryll entered, and she sneered at him.

"What's your damn problem?" she hissed at him. "Why can't you just let yourself be happy about anything? Do you know how many parents get to magically come back from the dead? None! For fuck's sake, stop being so damn stubborn!"

Link opened his mouth to retort, then thought better of it. Instead, he stepped around Aryll and left the house, slamming the door behind him.

He didn't know where he wanted to go; he just knew that he didn't want to be there any longer. He wanted to disappear. He wanted to be away from all his problems. He just wanted everything to be over. He was angry, yet he wanted to be able to put it all behind them. He wanted to forgive. He was just so damn exhausted.

He opted to head for the barn. At the very least, he wanted to continue to give his father hell. He wanted to make him see all the shit he put them through. He wasn't done being angry with him. He needed to yell. But his father was no longer in the barn.

Link stood in the doorway for a moment. After staring into the empty barn for a moment, he made his way out back toward the paddocks. His father was there, pacing aimlessly with a cigarette in his mouth. He looked up when Link approached, but said nothing. He blew out smoke in a long sigh and turned his gaze to the grazing horses.

"I'm done with secrets," Link said. "I want the truth."

Rusl glanced at his son. "Do you trust me?"

Link met his father's gaze. "Yes."

Rusl's face remained still. He studied his son as he inhaled his cigarette. "Why?" he said after a moment.

"I don't know," Link admitted. "Everyone else does."

Rusl smiled and turned his gaze to the ground. He watched the ash drop from his cigarette. "You don't have to trust me," he said. "Your judgment has gotten you this far. You're right not to trust me." He brought the cigarette to his lips once more. "But, I'd hope you'd give me a chance to earn that." He blew out smoke again and turned his gaze to the pasture. "I can't tell you everything right now. But the answers will come in time."

"I'll hold you to that," Link said.

Rusl nodded. "I know you will." He flicked the cigarette to the ground and put it out with the toe of his boot. "I can leave if you want."

Link grunted. "Right. Where you gonna go?"

Rusl shrugged with one shoulder. "I could travel. See the world or something."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Link muttered. "I'm not letting you leave again."

"I'm sorry," Rusl said. His brows furrowed as he spoke. "I know that doesn't fix anything, but it's all I can say. I'm sorry I put you and Ary through that. And I know I can't make it up to you. I just hope you can understand that I did what I had to do, and I hope you won't hate me forever."

"I don't hate you," Link said. He hesitated. "I just hate that you weren't there. Even if you were dead."

"Me too."

"I was barely ready to be a damn adult, never mind raise a damn teenager."

Rusl smiled. "Seems like you did alright."

"That's debatable," he muttered. "She's kind of a pain in my ass."

"Yeah, I know what that's like."

Link glanced at his father. He had forgotten all about being angry with him, it seemed. In fact, he didn't feel angry at all anymore. He was happy his father was back, regardless of how or why it all happened. For once, life was starting to feel normal again, despite the looming threat of the Yiga Clan. For a moment, he didn't think of them. He didn't think about the dark power inside of him. The only thought that occurred to him was that Aryll would not be alone, now. And that brought him a sense of relief.

Link wrapped his arms around his father. For years, he felt like he was slowly losing control of his life. He was just barely hanging on with everything he had, for Aryll, to give her the life she deserved. But for the first time, as his father hugged him back, he felt that weight lift off of his shoulders. He didn't have to do it alone anymore. Life was the way it should be.

Link had been gone for nearly an hour, though no one dared to go after him. Still, Mipha and Urbosa couldn't contain their curiosity, keeping their gazes out the window for any sign of him. Soon, Link and Rusl made their way into their view, and they quickly pressed in behind the protection of the blinds to watch.

Revali raised a brow, watching Mipha and Urbosa as they whispered to one another and peaked between the blinds. He stood behind them with crossed arms, Daruk at his side.

"The hell are you two doing?" he asked.

"Spying on Link and Rusl," Urbosa said.

Mipha frowned. "What are they saying? Do they look happy? They don't look happy."

"Look," Urbosa said excitedly. "Look! Link laughed!"

"Maybe he's laughing at you idiots," Revali said.

"Do you think they're okay?" Mipha sighed. "I just want them to be okay."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Urbosa said with a nod.

"He doesn't know," Mipha sad softly. "Rusl doesn't know about Link."

"I'm sure he'll tell him," Urbosa said. "You know. Eventually. Probably."

"What are they talking about?" Mipha hissed, pressing closer to the window.

"Alright, that's enough," Revali said. He turned to Daruk. "Let's go. I don't need to be a part of this juvenile high school shit."

"Leave them be," Daruk warned Revali, but Revali was already making his way outside.

"I'll get answers," he called over his shoulder. Daruk reached to grab his arm and stop him, but Revali darted out of his reach with a laugh, appearing outside in the drive. Daruk trotted down the front steps, muttering to himself, as Revail strutted toward Link and Rusl.

"And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon," Revali sang. "Little boy blue and the man in the moon. When ya comin' home, Dad? I don't know when, but -" He was cut short suddenly as Daruk attempted to punch him, but Revali was quick to dodge, appearing in a snap at Link's side.

"How's it going?" Revali said with a grin. He draped his arm around Link's shoulders.

"You know just how to get me," Rusl said dryly. "Right in the feels."

"All your little issues settled, then?"

"Piss off," Link muttered. He moved out from under Revali's arm.

"Great," Revali said, clapping his hands together. "Now that everything's all settled, I can tell the girls to quit spying on you and we can get back to business."

"What business?" Rusl asked. His gaze narrowed on Revali.

"The business of kicking Yiga ass, of course. We've got a Sheikah Slate to get our hands on." He narrowed his gaze on Link. "And we're gonna be smart about this and not run off on a suicide mission."

Link rolled his eyes.

"Sheikah Slate?" Rusl repeated. He raised a brow.

Revali shrugged. "Apparently it works with this healing shrine, which sounds like a load of horse shit if you ask me. But the last thing we need is the Yiga using that with Ganondorf. And if all goes well, maybe we can use it to fix Hulk over here before he goes on another murderous rampage."

Link crossed his arms and avoided his father's gaze as Revali continued on. He was pulling out his phone as he spoke, dialing a number.

"Speaking of, we should let Zelda know you're back in one piece." He brought the phone to his ear and grinned when Zelda answered. "'Sup, girl?" He frowned. "Oh, relax. You're less fun as a queen… Yeah, yeah. Quit worrying, he's back… Yeah, and you'll never in a million guess who he brought with him… How'd you know?... Yeah, I'm serious… Do I sound like I'm joking, woman?... For fuck's sake." He pulled his phone away and fumbled with it. He held it in his outstretched arm, then wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Whatchu doin' later?"

Zelda's voice came over the speaker. "Shut up!"

Revali rolled his eyes and switched the camera. "Say cheese, boys."

"What in the fuck," came Zelda's voice.

Rusl bowed dramatically. "Your Highness."

"This is so fucked up," Zelda muttered. "Who knows about this?"

Revali switched the camera back. He eyed Rusl, and Rusl simply shrugged. "I guess just us." He turned his attention back to Zelda. "We're gonna get our hands on that slate, now."

Zelda hushed him sharply. "Forget about it," she hissed. "Dorian brought it back."

Link's gaze narrowed. "Dorian?" He moved to Revali's side to address Zelda. "What do you mean Dorian brought it back?"

"He brought it back," she said, her gaze hard. "Impa has it. I saw it myself."

"Hold up," Revali said. "I thought he was working with the Yiga?"

Zelda's eyes moved around warily as she spoke. "I wouldn't dismiss it entirely," she said softly. "We don't know who's side he's on, and that's exactly what he wants. He'll do what he has to do to make him seem loyal to us. He may have given us the slate, but I'm certain he has alternative motives."

Link's gaze moved to his father. "You're awfully quiet," he said.

"I don't know anything," his father said, his expression cold.

Link held his gaze on him until Revali spoke again.

"So, what do we do now?" he said.

"Paya and Purah are going to bring it to the shrine," Zelda said. "Sit tight until we know more."

"Sit tight?" Revali sneered. "You're kidding."

"If Purah determines the shrine will be of use to us, then we'll head directly there. If not, we'll need to resort to something else. There's no sense wandering across the damn kingdom; that's exactly with the Yiga will be expecting, and they will ambush us."

"Crazy idea," Revali started. "We could just take them out right now."

"Don't test me," Zelda sneered. "If you so much as step a toe out of Paya's ward, I will destroy you myself."

"I'd like to see you try."

The call ended and the screen darkened. Revali sighed and slipped his phone in his pocket. "You heard the lady," he said.

Rusl's gaze narrowed on Link. "What do you want in that shrine?"

"What do you know about the shrine?" Daruk asked carefully.

"The Shrine of Resurrection is a healing shrine," Rusl said. "What use would it be to you?"

They hesitated. Revali and Daruk turned their gazes to Link, and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Well," Revali started. "It's nice to have around when the Yiga Clan destroy our sorry asses," he muttered. He quickly changed the subject. "What's there to fucking do around here, anyway? If we're waiting around, I at least want to get drunk tonight. Where's Kit? I'm sending him to the city to stock up on beer."

Link watched as Revali made his way back toward the house, calling Kit and whistling as if searching for a dog. Daruk hesitated, his gaze lingering on Link's, before he too, left them alone.

"Are you going to explain this Hulk shit to me?" Rusl muttered.

"No," Link said simply. His brows furrowed.

"Keeping secrets, then?" Rusl said. "How ironic of you."

Link sneered at his father. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

Rusl frowned. "What do you want to know? I'll explain whatever I can."

"Everything," Link snapped.

Rusl shrugged. "Fine." He paused in thought, carefully planning what he wanted to tell Link. "I was in a special unit tasked with finding the Yiga Clan. There were several of these units over the years, but most of them were completely wiped out. Some of them we simply lost contact with all together and never knew what happened to them. I'm sure the Yiga Clan was behind every single attack. So, naturally, we were ambushed as well." He lit another cigarette, pausing for a moment to bring it to his lips and he sighed. "Those of us who weren't killed were brought in for, you know," he shrugged, "the usual questioning." He blew out smoke. "I don't know what happened to any of them. I'm sure they all died. Figured that would come of me, too." He flicked ash off the cigarette. "But they seemed to have other plans. They weren't so willing to end my life so quickly. They wanted you, obviously, and I had that information they wanted. I think they planned to use me against you, against Roham and all of Hyrule. Apparently they thought I would be useful enough to keep around. I think I was there for nearly two years before I got out."

Link's brows furrowed. He pulled his gaze away. "How did you manage that?"

"I'm just fucking good like that," Rusl said. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes," Link said simply.

Rusl didn't go into any further details. "I got out. I got in contact with Roham. Told him what happened. He filled me in; told me that he told you I died in some attack in Termina. Said I couldn't return to the city. Too risky. Obviously the Yiga Clan would be looking for me. I couldn't bring them right to you. But, I had intel Roham needed, and a fairly good idea of where the Yiga Clan hideout was located. I bunkered down in a safe house for the next couple of years, per Roham's orders. A few more units were sent to infiltrate them, but they had no more luck than anyone else." He brought the cigarette to his lips once more. "And that's about when I had enough. Told Roham to go fuck himself and decided I'd destroy the Yiga Clan myself. But I got word what happened to you and Aryll and Mipha, and when I heard you had managed to escape, I just knew you would be back for more. I worked too hard keeping your damn ass alive to let you go in and throw it all away."

"I still don't believe you got out on your own," Link said after a moment. "Your story has a lot of holes in it."

Rusl smiled. "Perhaps. And those details will come through in time. It doesn't matter right now. You wanted the truth, there it is."

Link's brows furrowed as he processed this information. He still had so many questions that went much further back then his father's fake death, most of them involving Dorian, but he had a feeling he wouldn't get anything more out of his father.

"Kohga told me he killed you," he said.

"Of course he did," Rusl said, rolling his eyes. "That's what bad guys do. They fuck with you."

"Yeah, well." Link hesitated. "He did a damn good job. He pumped me full of his dark magic shit."

"Is that what happened?" Rusl studied his son for a moment, taking another moment to puff at his cigarette. "Is that what this Hulk thing is all about?"

"Aryll calls it Dark Link," he said with a shrug.

"Is he like, the anti-hero?"

"Straight up villain," Link muttered. "Kohga's trying to turn me against Hyrule."

Rusl frowned. "Doesn't look like he completely succeeded there."

Link pinched his lips together. He wasn't ready to admit to his father that Kohga had, indeed, succeeded. It was only a matter of time before he would lose himself completely to the darkness. He wasn't about to fret on that, now. He had accepted it as truth. All he wanted to do was fuck up Kohga's plan as much as possible while he still could. And maybe get back some lost time with his father.


	31. Chapter 31

Link hated Zelda's 'sit and wait' plan. He didn't enjoy sitting around and waiting for anything, especially when hero work was involved. It was in his nature, now; he wanted to do everything he could to keep not just Hyrule safe, but Aryll, Rusl, and his friends. Now more than ever with his little time left. His father's appearance occupied much of the day before, but now that things had settled, his mind raced with thoughts of the Yiga Clan. What were they up to? What was Dorian up to? Were Paya and Purah safe? Would the shrine have the answers they needed? And what if they didn't? Would he have enough time to stop the Yiga Clan?

All the unanswered questions and all his worries weighed heavily on his mind and the anxiety of it all only made him feel sick to his stomach. His friends seemed just as agitated as he was, and they even took to acting out like misbehaved children. Revali and Kit occupied their time by teasing the goats, and running for their lives when the goats had finally had enough. Daruk seemed to be more concerned with staying out of sight of Talon's three hounds, who always seemed to sniff him out and chase after him in search of affection and treats. Riju kept Mipha and Urbosa on their toes, often wandering out to the far back side of the pastures to use her power in hopes of finally being considered one of the Champions. Aryll was the most behaved among them and took to helping Talon with the animals and other various chores around the ranch.

For lack of anything else to do, Link joined his sister as she happily made her way to the barn. The animals had all been fed and were let out for the morning, and Aryll was all too eager to muck the stalls and clean around the barn. She cranked the volume on the dusty radio in the barn and danced and sang along with the music without a care in the world. When they were finished, they made their way to the back pastures where they found their father cooing to one of the horses.

Aryll perched herself on the fence beside her father and grinned. "So, that's where Link gets it from," she said. "You're a sucker for little fuzzy animals."

"No," Rusl started. "Just the ones that could kill you with a single kick."

"You know." Aryll straightened proudly. "I could teach ya how to ride. I'm the best. Way better than Link. I win every time we race."

"Oh, yeah?" Rusl raised a brow at his daughter. "I'd like to see that."

Aryll hopped down from the fence and made her way over to her favorite horse. She climbed onto the horse's back and kicked him forward. "Let's do it!"

Link crossed his arms. "Get down," he hissed. "You're not going anywhere."

"Well, you know what?" she said. "You can't tell me what to do anymore."

Link sneered at her. "Yes I can. You're not going out, and that's final."

"Hey, fuck you," she barked. "You're not my father."

Link turned a helpless gaze to his father and Rusl laughed.

"No, no, you're doing great," he said. "You really have the Dad thing down pat."

"Fuck you," Link muttered.

Rusl hopped the fence. He patted the horse's neck, then climbed easily on it's back.

"What are you doing?" Aryll asked. "You need a saddle. You don't even know how to ride."

Rusl grabbed mane and pressed his heels into the horse's side. The horse moved forward, and Rusl directed him around in a circle. "Ah, I think I'll be fine."

Aryll narrowed her gaze on him. "You can ride?"

"I guess we'll find out," he said. "Let's go."

Link stepped in front of the gate as Rusl leaned over to open it. "Will you quit it?" he hissed.

"Stop being such a party pooper," Rusl said with a grin. He kicked his horse on and Link had no choice but to step out of the way. As soon as they cleared the gate, Rusl kicked his horse again, and they broke into a gallop.

Link muttered under his breath. He whistled sharply for his own horse and climbed on as Aryll, too, galloped out of the pasture to follow their father. Link kicked his horse forward and hurried to catch up with them.

To his surprise, his father was well in the lead and had managed to stay on. But Aryll was not messing around, and she urged her horse faster still until she caught up to Rusl, leaving Link to bring up the rear. When they reached the tree line, they slowed slightly, and just as Link caught up to them, Aryll pushed ahead. She veered off the normal path, taking the other path around as she usually did to jump over the fallen trees that blocked the path. Rusl followed close behind, and he and his horse easily cleared the logs behind Aryll.

Back on the main path, Rusl caught up to his daughter once more, and the horses galloped neck and neck until they broke out of the tree line and across the meadow. They didn't stop until they reached the top of the hill, turning the horses as they waited for Link to catch up.

"Wow," Rusl said sa Link finally reached them. "You weren't kidding. He does suck."

Aryll crossed her arms. "Yeah, but not that much," she said. "He was holding back."

"So, what's your excuse?" he said, turning to his daughter.

"Me? My excuse?" She scoffed. "What's your excuse? How the hell do you know how to ride like that?"

"I grew up on a farm," Rusl said simply.

"Since when?" Link asked, narrowing his gaze on his father.

"Oh, I dunno," he started. "Since I was around ten I guess."

"Your parents had a farm?" Aryll asked eagerly.

"Hell, no," Rusl said. "My parents were trash. They went to jail when I was eight and I was bounced around in foster homes."

Aryll frowned. "Really?"

"I was a terrible child," he continued with a grin. "I stole and crashed a car when I was nine. Among other things."

"I guess that's where you get it from," Link muttered to his sister, but Aryll was not amused.

"I wasn't the one driving!"

Rusl narrowed his gaze on her. "You crashed a car?"

"N-no," she stammered. "Cremia did."

"Because you were all drunk," Link said.

"You what?" Rusl sneered.

"Hey, shut up, you weren't there!" She quickly tried to turn the subject back to him. "I'm way more innocent than you were."

"I would hope so," Rusl muttered. "That's how I ended up on the farm. No one wanted me around." He smiled. "But there was this woman who apparently loved to take on all the trouble kids and put 'em to work. Her name was Telma. And she didn't take shit from anyone."

"I don't believe it," she said.

"Not everyone had a perfect childhood like you did," Rusl pointed out.

"Perfect is a stretch," Aryll said. "I'm pretty sure the government would have taken me away if they knew I lived on peanut butter and banana sandwiches and pizza."

"But did you die?"

Aryll smiled. "So, Telma. How come we've never met her?"

"She died when I was twenty," Rusl said.

"Oh." Aryll hesitated. "So, you were a troubled foster child who lived on a farm with Telma and learned to ride horses."

"Yup."

"And then what?"

Rusl sighed. "And then what?"

"Clearly we know nothing about you," she pointed out. "And I know even less about Mom. I want details."

Rusl paused to think. "There isn't anything else to tell," he said. "I joined the service when I turned eighteen. I met your mother when I was twenty-two. For some reason, she agreed to married me, and we had two pain in the ass children together." He grinned. "The end."

"Wow," Aryll muttered. "Some life story."

"It wasn't that exciting."

"That can't be true," Aryll said. "Something exciting must have happened. Like a top secret mission when you were in the army!"

Rusl hesitated. "There were a few times the Yiga Clan ambushed us," he said simply. "When we were in Faron."

"What was in Faron?" Aryll pressed. "A secret Yiga Clan base?"

"No," Rusl said. "But we lived there for a while. After Link was born."

"You did?" Aryll frowned. "Why did you leave?"

"Because the Yiga were after Link," he said. "Impa promised us she could protect us in the city, so that's where we went."

Aryll considered this for a moment. "The Yiga Clan attacked you guys?"

"Yup."

"But you made it to the city?"

"More or less."

She narrowed her gaze on him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your mother made it with Link," he said.

She narrowed her gaze on him. "What about you?"

"We had a convoy across the kingdom," he said. "They were with one of the Sheikah and I tailed behind. There were quite a few of us to throw the Yiga off in case they were following us. But they found your mother and Link and tried to drive them off a bridge."

Aryll's eyes widened. "No way. You're full of shit."

Rusl narrowed his gaze on his daughter. "The Yiga don't fuck around," he said. "I've told you they've been a pain in my ass for years."

Aryll hesitated. "So, what happened?"

"Your mother got away safely."

"How?"

Rusl sighed. "I drove my car into them and we flipped off the bridge."

"And you lived?"

Rusl laughed. "No."

Aryll blinked at him. "What?"

"We fucking went into the lake," Rusl said. "No one lived."

"But… you're alive."

"By some dumb fucking luck," he muttered. "Dorian saved me."

"Wait. And the Yiga Clan dropped it? Just like that?"

Rusl shrugged. "Guess they figured we all died. Link included. And in the end, that's what they wanted."

"Unless Dorian went back and told them the truth," Link said. His gaze was narrowed on his father.

Rusl shrugged. "Maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. Regardless, it kept them quiet for a while. They spent the next few years preparing for Ganondorf and opening the portals around Hyrule."

"That was them?" Link sneered.

"Well, who else would it be?"

Link hesitated. He pulled his gaze away from his father. "We should have dealt with them ten years ago," he said. "If I had known -"

"There was nothing you could have done," Rusl said. "And I certainly wasn't going to let you try to stop them. Not after you barely survived Ganondorf. The Master Sword needed to be returned before the Yiga Clan could get their hands on it. And that's the best thing you could have done at the time. You were safe under Impa's ward; the Yiga Clan weren't getting their hands on you as long as you remained in the city."

"That's how they found us?" Aryll asked softly. "Because we left the city?"

"Yes."

Aryll hesitated. "So, after everything you did for us, we fucked everything up."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," Rusl said with a shrug. "Link would have eventually found out about the Yiga Clan and he would have gone out to try to stop them. There was nothing I could have done to prevent that. Even faking my own death, apparently."

"You did that… to stop Link?"

"I was their captive," Rusl said. "I was MIA. Roham had no choice but to tell you I died. And you were better off believing that. When I got out, I couldn't go back. I would have brought the Yiga Clan right to you both. And there was no way I could have come back and explained what had happened. Link would have learned the truth, and he would have gone after the Yiga Clan. He would have walked right into their hands, which is exactly what they wanted." He shrugged. "I don't even think they bothered to look for me. They wanted me to go back. Anything to lure Link to them. I didn't have a choice if I wanted to keep you both safe."

"They got us, anyway," Aryll muttered.

"Yeah, they did," Rusl said slowly. "And that's why I came back. You were in too deep. If I wanted to protect you both, I couldn't stay in hiding. I knew Link would try to take them on himself, so I had to stop him from getting himself killed, again." He turned to Link, emphasizing the last bit, but Link rolled his eyes and turned away.

"This is all fucked up," Aryll said. "No wonder Link doesn't trust anyone."

"Welcome to your fucked up family," Rusl said. He turned his horse around to head back into the forest.

"I don't know if I'd say you're fucked up," Aryll started. "But certainly unique. I don't think anyone could top a hero brother and a father who came back from the dead."

"You'd be surprised," Link muttered. "Give it time. Something else is bound to pop up."

Rusl grinned over his shoulder. "You really don't want to get any deeper than you already are."

Aryll frowned. "How much deeper can we get?"

"Depends on how much of the truth you want to know," Rusl said. "Hyrule is built on secrets. Hylia even has her own secrets."

"How so?" Aryll asked, her gaze narrowed on her father. "She's a Goddess. How can you possibly know she has secrets?"

"It's our job to know," Rusl said. "Hylians are the embodiment of Hylia." He glanced at his daughter. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but we're not like everyone else."

Aryll hesitated. "Well, yeah, I guess."

"That being said, we're not exactly like Hylians once were, either. The bloodlines have changed through the generations. There are very few true Hylians left. Even those that remain do not carry the same power that Hylians once had."

"What are you saying?"

"Hylians are dying out," Rusl said frankly. "The Sheikah are dying out. And once we do, so will Hylia. No one believes in her like they once did."

Aryll frowned. "So, what secrets does she have?"

Rusl glanced at his children. "It's not important," he said after a moment.

Link narrowed his gaze on him. "It sounds important."

"It's not," Rusl insisted. "The point is, this war gets deeper with every rebirth of the hero. With every generation, Hylia's powers weaken."

"What does that mean?" Aryll pressed.

"It means that Hyrule is coming to its end," Rusl said. "Not in our lifetime, but soon. The Hylians will be extinct, and as a result, the spirits of the hero will not be reborn. Ganondorf will rise and Demise will return to power."

"So, what's the point of all of this if he's going to get his way in the end, anyway?" Aryll sneered.

"That's not for us to decide," Rusl said. "Whatever happens in the end is beyond our control. All we can do is buy Hyrule time. We stop Ganondorf every time and hope that somewhere down the line, there is a way to break the curse."

"You're leaving the entire future of the world up to chance?" Link sneered.

Rusl turned to him. "What do you think you can do about it?"

"I wouldn't stand around and do nothing."

"The Sheikah have been trying for years," Rusl assured him. "No one is standing around and doing nothing."

"What in the hell did we do to deserve this damn curse, anyway?" Aryll muttered.

"The Goddesses took everything from Demise," Rusl explained. "This world belonged to him."

Aryll blinked at her father. "That's… that's not true!"

"It is. Whether you want to believe it or not. He was originally intended to keep the Triforce safe, but he abused that power. That's when Hylia stepped in to stop him and sealed him away."

 _"The Triforce belongs to Demise," his father said, his voice strong. "It has since the dawn of time. We're here to return it to its rightful owner."_

 _Link stared blankly at him for a moment, then narrowed his gaze. "What are you talking about?"_

 _"Hylia has covered this truth throughout the ages. That's why Sheikah have abandoned the royal family. That's why the Yiga Clan exists; to bring back the truths of this world."_

 _Link searched his father's gaze desperately. "You can't be serious…"_

 _"The Goddesses thought they sensed evil intent in Demise, so they took the Triforce from him and entrusted it with Hylia instead. They wrongly accused him and sealed him away. That's why Hyrule has fallen to his supposed curse. That's why Hyrule belongs to Demise."_

Link's stomach knotted sickeningly. The conversation he had with his father was so vivid. He had brushed it off as a hallucination at first… but was it real? Was this his father's plan all along? To push himself into their lives, regain their trust, and send them to their deaths?

"Hyrule doesn't belong to him," Aryll insisted. "Not if he had evil intent."

"You're right," Rusl said. "But that's how it was. That's why things are this way."

"And there's nothing we can do to prevent this?" Aryll asked softly.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Rusl said.

"But we should be worrying about it," Aryll said, raising her voice. "We should be doing something!"

"The Sheikah have dedicated their lives to this," Rusl said. "If there's a way to change Hyrule's future, they will find it." He looked over his shoulder, noticing then that Link had fallen behind. His horse was grazing happily, and Link's forehead was creased as he stared at the ground, deep in thought.

"Look," Rusl started. "I'm sorry I said anything. I wasn't going to because I knew you would try to make this your problem. But I promised no more secrets."

Link looked up and met Rusl's gaze. No; it couldn't have been real. If it were, then they would have already had this conversation. Rusl would have remembered - would have known that he said what he said to Link - and never would have showed up in their life like he did, otherwise Link would have taken him out himself. Link would have known him to be a traitor. It was only logical, then, that his conversation with his father was a hallucination. Still, it didn't explain how he could have imagined such a conversation when he never knew this information to begin with.

"What's wrong?"

His father's face was creased with worry.

"You told me this," Link started. "When I was there." His brows furrowed and he looked down at the ground. "Except you were working with them. You tried to get me killed." He hesitated. "If it were just a hallucination, how could I have known that?"

His father didn't seem fazed by Link's words. "It's part of who we are," he said. "It's a subconscious kind of knowledge. Like the power of the Triforce. You really didn't know it was there until you needed to know."

"The voice of Hylia," Aryll said softly. "That's what they say, right? That only Hylians can hear her. We just don't really listen anymore, do we?" She frowned. "We're responsible for our own demise."

"Maybe, maybe not," Rusl said. "Even the Sheikah can't know for sure what the future holds. There's almost always more than what meets the eye."


	32. Chapter 32

"Why did you tell us all of that?"

Rusl glanced at his son. They had made it back to the ranch, and Aryll had hurried off to help Talon with the evening chores. Link leaned against the paddock fence, watching as the dogs chased the goats, nipping at their heels.

"Because it's something you should know," Rusl said. "And I promised no more lies, remember?" He shrugged. "You wanted answers. Well, that's why things are the way they are. That's why you and Zelda have a responsibility to keep Hyrule safe, no matter what the future may hold." He leaned his elbows on the top of the fence and turned to his son. "You don't really believe that it's all for nothing, do you?"

"No," Link said. "You're right. We buy Hyrule time. We fight until the end." He sighed. "If I'm gonna be used, it sure as hell won't be for nothing."

Rusl straightened. He glanced over his shoulder as Revali made his usual loud entrance with Kit and Daruk following close behind.

"There you are," he started. "We've been looking for you all damn day."

"He wasn't," Kit said. "In fact, his exact words were, 'Don't tell Link I got the good stuff.'"

Revali grinned and flashed two cigars. "I saved you both one, alright?"

Rusl frowned. "That's it?"

"Do you know how much these cigars cost?" Revali sneered.

"You said you had the good stuff," Rusl said. "In my day, we didn't waste our money on fancy cigars."

"Oh, alright, I see how it is." Revali crossed his arms and turned to Kit. "My stuff isn't good enough for the dead guy." He turned to Kit. "Why don't you whip out your stupid tin for these two losers? They'd rather get high like little girls." Revali shook his head. "No one appreciates a damn good cigar anymore. Well you know what? I'm not sharing my whisky with you idiots."

Link snatched the cigars out of Revali's hands. "You're rolling in dirty money," he said as he handed a cigar to his father. "You're not high class because of that."

"Then give 'em back. They were bought with my dirty money."

Link shrugged and lit the cigar. "I'm already a criminal." He sucked in, then blew out smoke. "Which means I guess I can work for you now."

"Yeah, about that," Revali started. "Now that you're not some innocent little hero, you'll only raise more suspicions. You're out."

Link frowned. "You can't take back your offer," he said. "I want those six numbers."

"Six numbers?" Rusl repeated. He turned to Revali. "You know he can't even flip a damn burger, right?"

"Fortunately for him, his pathetic college dropout ass doesn't need any reputable skills for this job," Revali said. "The only requirement was to keep his nose clean, and he couldn't even do that."

"That wasn't what we discussed," Link pointed out. "All I needed to do was sign my name on all your sketchy documents."

"Well, I don't want your name on my documents anymore," Revali said. "And I don't think you could even sell that signature of yours anymore. You couldn't even sell your damn blood."

"Sperm," Kit pointed out.

Revali rolled his eyes. "Like anyone would want his damn babies."

"This is nice," Rusl said. "You're all fucking twisted."

"I'm kind of an expert on heroes," Kit said. "I've been serving them alcohol and helping them drown their problems for years. You don't know the half of it." He exhaled smoke. "And those sperm-bank babies are probably the only grandkids you'll get."

"Charming," Rusl said. "Your mother had money on you and Mipha. Guess she'll be disappointed."

"Oh, they're a thing," Revali said. "You can rest assured that if anyone will settle for Link, it's Mipha."

"Watch it," Link sneered.

"Right," Rusl said. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"I guess she has kind of been avoiding you since you got back," Kit said.

"Why's that?" Rusl asked.

They fell silent for a moment. Rusl looked between them warily. To their relief, they silence was interrupted by Riju's voice as she bounded around the corner. Her eyes lit up when she saw Link and she bounced to his side as Mipha and Urbosa rounded the corner behind her.

"There he is," she said, draping an arm over his shoulders. "We sent these idiots out looking for you but they never came back." She looked Revali up and down. "I guess they thought it was more important to drink and smoke."

"Bait," Revali said simply. "Bring alcohol and Link comes running like a good boy. And now he got a treat."

Riju ignored him and turned her attention back to Link. "You know, this hero business is way more exciting than our laser tag games."

"No," Link said simply. "Go away."

"Hear me out," she said. She pressed a finger to his nose, sending a light shock through her fingertips. Link lunged toward her, but she jumped out of his way with a laugh.

"Will you give it a rest?" Urbosa said, putting a hand on her hip. "You're not a part of this."

"Oh, but I am," Riju said with a grin. "Just you wait. I'll have my moment, and ya'll will be in my debt!"

"She is deadly with a laser gun," Link said dryly.

"You're not helping," Urbosa sneered.

Riju crossed her arms and turned her attention to Mipha.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Mipha said, meeting her expectant gaze.

"Be on my side," Riju pleaded with her. "I don't care what you gotta do. Withhold sex. Guys will do anything to have their stupid dicks touched. Even name me a Champion!"

Mipha's cheeks reddened, but to her relief, Link came to her rescue.

"You know," he started, "it's not even my call. Zelda's the boss. Take it up with her."

"Yeah, no need to give Link any grief," Revali said. "If it weren't for Mipha, no one would touch his dick."

"Really?" Daruk shook his head. "Are we in high school again?"

"Do they talk about their dicks regularly?" Kit asked.

"Revali has to remind us daily how big his is," Riju said.

"He over compensates with money and fancy cars," Link added.

"You know what?" Revali said. "I'm gonna let that slide, because I'm above this immaturity."

Urbosa pushed her sister along. "Look what you started. Are you happy?"

Riju grinned. "Just like the good ol' days."

Mipha hesitated, meeting Link's gaze briefly before hurrying to catch up with Urbosa and Riju as they made their way to the house. She paused when Link called to her and waited for him to catch up. They stood alone on the edge of the driveway in uncomfortable silence for a moment before Link finally spoke.

"I'm, uh, sorry I haven't… I mean. I wasn't trying to avoid you. But I was. Because. You know. But I'm sorry I left like that. And I know you don't trust me. I don't trust me." He sighed. "I don't know what to do here."

"Yeah," Mipha said softly. "I don't know, either."

Link frowned. "Mipha… I'm sorry. It wasn't -"

"I know," she said quickly. "I know."

"You shouldn't be near me. No one should be."

"We can handle it," she said. "You need to trust us to handle it."

"But I don't trust me." He met her gaze. "I can't be responsible…"

"We won't let it come down to that," she said. "Link… We'll get through this."

He didn't feel as confident. But he missed her. So much had happened over the last few days; it was all just a chaotic blur. He needed her reassurance. But he didn't trust himself around her. Around anyone. He was sick to his stomach just thinking about how easily he could have ended her life. He couldn't live with himself if he did that, even if it wasn't him. But when everything seemed to be falling apart around him, she was the only one that made everything better. He needed her.

Mipha pressed her lips against his gently. She lingered for a moment before pulling away and meeting his gaze once more. She hesitated, then her lips pulled into a smile. "So, what do we do when this is over? I mean, no offense, but I don't want to live with your dad."

"You're just assuming he's not gonna take off and fake his death again," Link said. "He has no legal rights to that house anymore."

"Kicking him out?"

"He would have done it to me."

Mipha's smile widened. "I was really enjoying the fact that I didn't have to listen to my neighbor's pizza guy fantasy every night. The material was really getting old." She made a face of disgust. "And who gets pineapple on pizza?"

"Don't hate it until you try it," Link said.

"Come on, Mrs. Hero!" Riju called from the door. "We're ordering pizza!"

"I'm not trying it," Mipha said with a grin. She kissed Link one last time before joining Riju and Urbosa in the house.

Link shoved a hand in his pocket as he watched the door close. He absentmindedly fingered the ring box he still carried with him. He didn't exactly have a plan as far as proposals went, but he certainly didn't expect to get kidnapped by the Yiga Clan. Naturally, that set his plans back. Even more now that he was aware of the very short timer left on his life. He let the end of his cigar drop to the ground as his friends joined him once more.

"You oughta put a ring on that before she has the good sense to leave your sorry ass," Rusl said with a grin.

Kit snorted loudly. "He's had that weight in his pocket for years."

Rusl turned to his son and raised a brow. "For real?"

Link sneered at Kit. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"This guy," Kit said to Rusl, throwing a thumb over his shoulder at Link. "I've been tellin' him the same damn thing. He doesn't have the balls."

Rusl shook his head. "I don't believe it."

Kit moved toward Link, shoving his hand toward his pocket, but Link leapt back, shooing his hand away.

"Get the fuck outta here," he hissed.

"Stop being such a girl," Kit said with a grin, chasing Link around and reaching for his pocket. "Let use see it."

"That's what she said," Revali giggled.

"I don't have anything," Link insisted.

"Liar. I've seen it." He finally succeeded in pinning Link's arms and shoved his hand into his pocket, pulling out a small, black box.

Rusl's eyes widened, but at that moment, the door opened once more as Riju poked her head out. Link shouted at Kit who yelped, juggling the box in his hands before Rusl snatched it and closed his fingers around it, hiding it behind his back. Alerted by their shouts, Riju, Mipha, and Urbosa stepped out and turned their curious gazes to the men.

"What's going on?" Urbosa asked.

"Kit tried to get in Link's pants," Revali said with a grin.

Link glared at Revali.

They chose to ignore this, disinterested in their shenanigans.

"What kinda pizza should we get?" Riju asked.

"Does it really matter?" Daruk said.

"Pineapple it is," Riju said with a grin. Mipha groaned loudly and headed back inside the house. When all three were safe inside, Rusl pulled the box back out and opened it, peering at the ring. Link snatched it out of his father's hands and shoved it back into his pocket.

"He didn't even buy that," Rusl said. "Cheap bastard."

"That's true love, man," Kit said. "Stealing a ring for a lady."

Link muttered under his breath. "I didn't steal it."

"You sure as hell did," Rusl accused. "And I want it back."

"Hey, you're dead," Link snapped. "You get nothing."

"You know how much that damn thing cost me?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Guess you should have kept it with you."

"Wait," Daruk started. "You're giving Mipha hand-me-down rings?"

"I can't do anything right, can I?" Link sneered.

Kit shook his head. "Are you so surprised?"

"It was Aryll's idea," Link said quickly. He crossed his arms. "She says it's romantic."

"Right," Daruk said. "Because you're real smooth in the romance department."

"At least I get laid," Link said.

Revali raised his hand. "I do. I get laid." He turned to Kit and grinned.

Kit sighed. "I don't." He turned to Daruk.

"I… have been a little busy keeping all of you alive."

"And you've been dead," Revali said to Rusl. "So, that makes two of us. Except Link doesn't count because He's only had sex with Mipha."

Kit snickered and Link elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

"Oh, right," Revali said. "And Zelda."

"Zelda?" Daruk said loudly. "The fuck? When was that?"

"Nothing happened," Link muttered.

"I can neither confirm nor deny this," Kit said. "However, I could name several others." He paused. "No, wait, I can't. And I don't think Link ever got their names, either."

"Knock it off," Link hissed.

"Seriously?" Revali said. "We all leave and you turn into some Playboy? Where was that guy? I could have been friends with that guy!"

"Anyway," Kit said. "We should warn Mipha so she can make her escape before he pops the question."

"I'm a hero," Link said. "I saved Hyrule. Why do I still have to deal with this shit?"

"Because," Revali said with a grin. "It wouldn't be the same, otherwise." He stretched his arms over his head and yawned loudly, then made his way toward the house. "Someone has to stop them before they order pineapple pizza."

"So, what's the deal with this job?" Kit said. "How do I get into that applicant pool?"

"There's no one in the world that could be that desperate," Daruk said.

"Oh, then you don't know me very well," Kit grinned. "In fact, I can't believe I haven't thought to sell my blood or sperm."

"No one wants your children," Link said. "There isn't enough money in the world to get a woman to have your children."

"Harsh, but fair," Kit said. "Babies are real chick magnets, though. Could I borrow yours once in a while to pick up chicks?"

"Oh, dude, me too," Revali said.

"I can't be trusted with a baby," Link said. "Never mind the two of you."

"Well, get used to it," Kit said. "Because if she's dumb enough to marry you, she'll be dumb enough to want your babies."

"No babies," Link growled.

"Well, I might as well go back to being dead," Rusl said. "I only came back for the grandkids."

"Everything was much simpler before you came back," Link muttered.

Rusl grinned. He draped an arm around his son's shoulders. "Someone has to keep you dumbasses out of trouble."

"We did just fine before," Revali said.

"Besides the fact that Link took a sword to the gut," Daruk reminded them. He shrugged. "But, sure, we totally know what we're doing."

"Dumbasses," Rusl said. He waved an arm around. "Dumbasses everywhere."


	33. Chapter 33

Zelda stood at the edge of the circular drive as Paya approached. Being under Dorian's and likely her father's watchful eye left her unable to find opportunities to sneak away and discuss her plans with Paya and Teba, but she hoped being far enough away from the palace and other buildings would them out of range of anyone - or anything - listening to their conversation.

"Did you learn anything?" Zelda asked.

Paya shook her head regretfully. "Not much," she said. "Aunt Purah doesn't think it will be able to help him. She believes that Kohga was able to completely alter the purity of his spirit. It will take much more than just a simple healing shrine to fix it."

"What about the spring?" Zelda asked, growing desperate. "The Goddesses? They must be able to do something."

Paya nodded. "I believe they will have the best chance," she started. "If they are willing."

"We have to try."

"We will," Paya said. "But I believe we will need to deal with the Yiga Clan, first. As we expected, they were waiting for us at the shrine. They knew we would be investigating. Of course, I think they were disappointed to see that you and Link were not there." She met Zelda's worried gaze and quickly reassured her. "They were no problem for Aunt Purah and I," she said. "But I believe it would be in our best interest to destroy the shrine to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands."

Zelda hesitated. "But couldn't it be of use to us?"

"No more use than a modern hospital or even my own healing powers," Paya said confidently. "At a time, it was a necessity. But that no longer applies."

"How do we go about destroying it, then?"

"I believe the Champions will be able to handle it," Paya said.

"Don't you think that's just what the Yiga Clan want?" Zelda said carefully. "They'd be walking right into their hands."

"Perhaps," Paya started. "But there's no one else that can take care of it. And you don't trust Grandmother or Dorian to ask for the aid of the Sheikah."

Zelda sighed. "We should try the spring, first," she said. "Link does not have a lot of time left."

"That may be," she started. "But good luck trying to convince him otherwise. He'll want to take on the Yiga Clan, first."

"I know." Zelda hesitated. "I know Teba won't let me leave. Will you go with them?"

"Of course."

Dorian stepped out from around the corner. He held his gaze on Zelda, who regarded him strongly, though her face had whitened slightly. He said nothing as he moved passed her and Paya, leaving them alone once more. He made his way into the palace, trotting up the grand staircase to the second floor and towards Roham's office. Roham did not greet him when he entered, but his hard gaze met Dorian's.

"They plan to destroy the shrine," Dorian said simply. "This will be our chance."

Roham's expression softened slightly. "Fine," he said. "Let them. But be waiting for them. Take Link in now while you have the chance."

Dorian said nothing further and left Roham alone in his office. Roham turned his gaze back out the window where he watched Zelda and Paya walk across the grounds, deep in conversation.

"And what about Rusl?" Paya asked.

Zelda hesitated. She kept her eyes on the ground as they walked. "I don't know," she admitted. She met Paya's gaze. "Do you think we should be concerned?"

Paya held her gaze on Zelda's for a moment before looking towards the horizon. "It's very easy to put them all together," she said after a moment. "Rusl, Dorian, and your father. They're all involved, and they have been for a long time. That can mean so many things. If they were all involved in Rusl's faked death, then there's a reason for it. Something they are hiding. We could naturally assume that means Yiga involvement, too."

"What could my father possibly gain from that?"

"It's very possible Rusl and Dorian are going behind his back, as well." She paused. "Or Dorian is going behind their backs. Or Rusl."

"Right," Zelda muttered. "The possibilities here are endless." She sighed and pressed a finger against her temple. "We can't trust any of them, is what you're saying."

"Actually," Paya started. She sighed and her shoulders relaxed slightly. "I think we can trust Rusl."

Zelda narrowed her gaze on her. "How?"

"I believe Rusl plays a bigger role in this than we realize," she said. "He may be keeping secrets, but I believe there is a good reason for that."

"But you have no proof."

"No," Paya admitted. "I don't."

Zelda nodded. "I'd like to think we can trust him," she started. "But." She sighed. "Move forward with the plan. Destroy the shrine. Then seek out the spring. We need to do everything we can to fix Link. I'll do my best to keep tabs on my father and Dorian." She met Paya's gaze. "And keep an eye on Rusl."

"And if I find proof he's working with the Yiga?"

"Kill him."

It was late in the evening when Paya made it out of the city and back to the ranch. The air snapped as she appeared in the drive where the Champions had gathered in drink and conversation. They turned to her as she appeared and grew quiet.

"Nice to see you, Paya," Revali said dryly. "I'm guessing you're not here to hang out?"

"No," she started sheepishly. She briefly met Rusl's gaze, then pulled away uneasily to address the group. "Actually, I've got orders from Zelda."

"Finally," Daruk said, punching his palm with a fist. "Let's fuck up some Yigas."

"You will," she started. "But we need to get to the shrine, first, and destroy it."

Daruk's shoulders slumped, and Paya smiled apologetically.

"Queen's orders," she said.

"Destroy the shrine?" Urbosa repeated. "What for?"

"It's of no use to us," Paya explained. "It won't help Link. But it could be useful for the Yiga Clan, and that's the last thing we need."

"Then shouldn't we try the spring?" Riju asked. "I mean, we're kind of pressed for time here, aren't we?"

"And if I'm gone before the shrine is destroyed, you're all fucked," Link muttered. He ignored his father's hard stare.

"We don't need you to destroy a shrine," Revali hissed.

"I can't believe we're going to destroy a shrine," Mipha muttered, shaking her head.

"Zelda's right," Link insisted. "We do it now. And then we fuck up the Yiga Clan."

"And how do you expect to destroy this shrine?" Daruk asked with a raised brow.

Link grinned. He still had some left over C4 in the car. He couldn't wait to blow shit up.

"I don't like that look," Aryll muttered.

Link moved to the car and threw open the trunk. The Champions gathered behind him, staring at the C4.

"Where the fuck did you get this?" Revali said.

"I know a guy," Kit said with a grin.

"The fuck does that mean?" Daruk muttered.

"We weren't interrogating anyone," Kit said. "We were stocking up."

"For Link's suicide mission?" Urbosa said, her eyes narrowed on Kit.

Kit threw his arms in the air defensively. "Hey, I knew nothing about that."

"You know," Daruk started. "Roham already wants your ass. You're not exactly in good standing with the kingdom. This doesn't help your case."

Link shrugged. "What have I got to lose?"

"I like it," Revali said with a grin. "This is the most ballsy thing you've ever done. Let's blow some shit up."

"From hero to anti-hero," Riju said excitedly. "Chaotic good. I like it! Kicking ass, escaping the law, and still saving the day!"

"The Yiga Clan will be expecting you," Paya said. "They'll be waiting for you. You cannot let your guard down."

"Even better," Link said.

"What's your plan?" Rusl asked, narrowing his gaze on his son. "Waltz right in and hope some meeseley C4 will work?"

"Do you have a better idea?" Link sneered.

"Of course he does," Daruk said, crossing his arms. "He's trained for this. We're not."

"I'm trained," Link said. "Trained to kick ass and take names."

"You swung a sword around and hoped for the best," Revali said.

"It worked, didn't it?"

"You got gutted twice," Mipha reminded him.

"Well, obviously," Riju said. "It wouldn't make a very good story if there wasn't a little drama. Just wait until this hits the big screen!"

"Really, Riju?" Urbosa said in an exhausted tone.

"Link needs to get paid!"

Link nodded. "Yeah. I have yet to see any benefits from my heroic actions." He crossed his arms. "This kingdom is ungrateful. Maybe I should let the Yiga Clan bring Ganondorf back."

"You're a wanted criminal," Daruk said. "You'll be lucky if you don't see jail bars for the rest of your life."

Link rolled his eyes.

"Is this how you idiots work?" Rusl chimed in. "For the love of Hylia, it's a miracle you were able to stop Ganondorf in the first place."

Riju nodded. "They do more bickering than anything else," she said. "It was way worse in high school."

"Ganondorf would have this world in chaos if it weren't for us," Revali said. "Link would have been dead a long time ago without us."

"That's not true," Link muttered.

"Do you know how many times I've had to save your ass because you were careless?"

"You think so," Link started. "But if you weren't around being a pain in the ass, I bet we could have even taken out the Yiga Clan."

"And you would have been gutted a third time."

"No, but I would have let them kill you."

"And without me to save your ass, you'd be dead. Again."

"Oh, yeah? Well then why don't you do all the hero work, then, since you're so fucking good at it?"

"If I was the hero, we would be far better off. But unfortunately, Hylia didn't seem to appreciate my worth."

"Because you have the spirit of an arrogant jackass."

"At least I don't go running around on suicide missions and getting gutted!"

"I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Let's go, Hulk! I'd like to see you try!"

Urbosa sighed loudly. "Stop it!"

"Holy fuck," Riju muttered. "You both have big dicks now simmer down."

"We're all gonna die," Rusl muttered.

Mipha turned a helpless gaze to Daruk, and Daruk grinned.

"You mean you didn't miss this?"

"Are we going to blow shit up or are just keep acting like sixteen year olds?" Kit said.

Link slammed the trunk closed. "Yeah, grow up, Revali."

Revali grinned but said nothing further.

"So, what's the plan?" Daruk asked. He turned to Rusl expectantly.

"No way," Rusl said. "You fuckers are on your own. I want no part of this messed up group of heroes."

"Well, that's encouraging," Mipha muttered.

"Link will get us all killed if you don't talk some sense into him," Revali pointed out.

"What's your plan, then?" Rusl asked his son.

Link shrugged. "Walk in and blow it up?"

Rusl pinched the bridge of his nose. "For fuck's sake," he muttered. "I should have been the one staying home and sent you into the army instead. Maybe you'd be a little damn smarter."

"I certainly wouldn't have had to fake my own death," Link muttered.

"No, but we would have had to come rescue you," Revali said.

Aryll raised a hand in the air. "I did it. I rescued Link from the Yiga. Just putting that out there."

"Can we not start this again?" Urbosa muttered.

"Look," Rusl started. "The Yiga Clan will be expecting you. They'll be waiting for you. You'll be lucky if you even get near that shrine."

"So, what?" Daruk asked. "There's only one way in. There's no getting around that."

"Urbosa and Revali will be your best options for the front lines," Rusl said. He turned his gaze to Daruk. "And you protect your healers. And Hulk. The Yiga Clan may have already gotten their hands on him, but if they see an opportunity to get at him again, they'll take it."

"What about me?" Riju asked. She jumped up excitedly. "Do I get to be on the front lines, too?"

"No," Urbosa hissed. Riju frowned.

"Ha, ha," Kit teased.

"You, too," Rusl said.

Kit pouted. "What? Why?"

"You're useless."

"So are you!" Kit pointed out.

"Yeah, that's why I'm not getting involved."

"You're the only one who knows what the fuck they're doing," Revali said. He shook his head. "Nice try. You're not sitting this out."

"Link's useless, too," Riju said. "Why does he get to go?"

"Because there's nothing anyone can say to make him stay," Rusl said with a sigh. "You should know this by now."

"So, what's your excuse?" Revali said. He crossed his arms. "Shouldn't you be willing to fight and defend?"

"The difference between you and I," Rusl started, "is I use my damn head. I know when I'll be useful and when I won't be."

"And if shit goes south, you'll have a much better plan to get us out alive than we could," Daruk said. "Besides. I won't let your ass get fried. Not this time, anyway."

Rusl shrugged. "It's not my call. I don't run this circus."

Link stared at his feet, feeling their gazes on him. He didn't really want his father involved. It wasn't worth the risk of losing him again. He hated to admit it, though, but Revali had a point. His father was much better prepared for this sort of mission. He really didn't have a plan at all, and he knew he couldn't be so careless. But plans… they just weren't his forte. His plan was to get in, cause destruction, and get out, and keep everyone alive in the process. That was always his plan. And at times, it was a weakness. A hinderance. He only wanted his friends to stay alive, at whatever cost, which more often than not, only blinded him and made him careless. He knew he needed their help, but he wished he was strong enough to be able to do things on his own. He worked better that way.

"I don't care what you do," Link finally said. He met his father's gaze. "But if you have no faith in our abilities as heroes, then maybe you should tag along on the fun."

"Alright," Revali said, clapping his hands together. "Enough wasting time. Let's do this!"


	34. Chapter 34

The Shrine of Resurrection slumbered deep within a dense forest, overgrown from hundreds of thousands of years of abandonment. It remained untouched for all those years, completely unnoticed by the growing and changing kingdom that took no notice to the odd shape of mountains that made up the area that was once a plateau. Though significantly smaller in comparison to the other mountain ranges throughout Hyrule, their slightly rounded, barely sloped peaks simply blended in with the rest of the landscape, south of the bustling city the Champions called home. While it would have taken them nearly an entire day to drive to the base of the mountain, Paya agreed to take them herself. They appeared at the edge of the forest, stepping out of the moonlight and into the cover of the trees.

The group of heroes moved through the forest just as Rusl had instructed them to do. Knowing how to get to the shrine, and with the ability to use her own Sheikah powers to provide either an attack or quick defense, Paya took the lead. Behind her, Rusl followed closely. Revali and Urbosa followed next, keeping their attention focused up front, and behind them respectively, with Link and Mipha between them, and Daruk came up behind them, ready to shield them if necessary.

They moved quietly through the forest, watching for any sign of the awaiting Yiga Clan. They were tense and alert, walking for nearly an hour with no sign of any kind of attack.

"I don't like this," Revali muttered. He kept an arrow knocked in his bow. "Why aren't they jumping out of the trees like the ninja-freaks that they are?"

"Stop talking," Urbosa hissed at him.

Revali rolled his eyes and mocked her silently.

At that moment, Paya stopped, and Rusl held his arm out, stopping the group. They were silent as he looked around them. They were still a ways off from the shrine, but Paya could sense the Yiga were close, keeping a watchful eye out for their arrival.

Rusl gestured to Revali and Urbosa, and they pressed forward to search out any potential hiding Yiga soldiers, leaving the rest of the group behind to wait. Paya positioned herself just ahead of them, ready and waiting for any surprise attack. Rusl and Link both readied their own weapons, and Daruk cracked his knuckles, ready to throw up his shield at a moment's notice.

They waited in silence, their eyes searching the forest. There was no sign of the Yiga Clan, and no sign of a battle anywhere up ahead. They had no way to know where Urbosa and Revali were, or how much longer until they arrived at the shrine. All they could do was sit and wait as the anxiety stirred in their guts.

Nearly half an hour had passed before Urbosa and Revali returned with uneasy expressions on their faces.

"There's no one," Urbosa said. "We searched the entire area."

"They're here," Paya hissed. "I'm sure of it."

"So, what do we do?" Revali asked.

"They're probably waiting for us to go in," Paya said. "They plan to trap us."

"We can't play into their plans," Daruk said.

"Sure we can," Rusl said. "Make them think they're plan is working."

"And then what?" Link hissed. "They corner us and we're fucked."

"Hardly," Rusl said. "Our tactic remains the same. With the utilization of proper roles in the unit, we give ourselves an edge. The only thing that changes is the front line. We cover our front and our back with the best fighters."

"Tanks and close range fighters," Daruk said with a grin.

"Sure, nerd." Rusl grinned. "That means Paya and Urbosa. One up front, one to bring up the rear."

"What about me?" Revali said with a frown.

"In the middle with us," Rusl said. "You're fast. You have range. You can get anywhere you need to get in an instant, wherever you're needed." He turned to Daruk. "If you stay centralized, you can provide the best defense for us."

"But I'm close range," Daruk said.

"You can cover distance," Rusl reminded him. "Should they get passed Paya, Urbosa, and Revali, you can send 'em flying."

Daruk grinned. "I like this. He's smart. This was a good idea."

"Best plan Link ever had," Revali confirmed.

"You need to get to the deepest point of the shrine," Rusl reminded them. "If the C4 is going to do its job, you need to implode it from the inside. That being said, it could very well cause a cave in. We need to be far enough away to escape while still being close enough for the detonators."

"I can get everyone out," Paya said.

"Unless the Yiga have it warded," Rusl pointed out. "We need to go in under the assumption that you can't get us out. If we rely on that, we're dead men walking."

"Then let's get moving," Link said.

The group pressed onward, moving silently through the forest once more until they reached the entrance to the shrine. Though the overgrowth had certainly covered the shrine completely, it was clear that the shrine had been disturbed, and recently. Brush was cut back and rocks were moved out of the way to reveal the entrance to the shrine. They stood outside of it for a moment, checking their surroundings once more in preparation for a potential attack. When no attack came, they stepped silently into the shrine, immediately greeted by the cool, damp, and musty air.

Link felt uneasy as they wandered the long corridor of the shrine. It was all too simple. He didn't understand why the Yiga were letting them walk so freely into the shrine. Clearly there had to be a motive; they were walking right into their hands. And even though they expected to do just that, he didn't feel as prepared for whatever was waiting for them as he hoped.

After walking through the main corridor of the shrine for a few short minutes, their path split, moving further ahead, to their left, and to their right, giving them three options that moved deeper within the shrine. Their gazes moved to Paya, who simply shrugged in response.

"How big is this damn place?" Revali muttered.

"And where do these paths lead?" Urbosa questioned.

"Pick one," Daruk said. "Process of elimination."

"Should we split up?" Mipha asked.

Rusl shook his head. "We don't need to give ourselves any disadvantages by splitting the group. And we don't have time to be exploring every path. Even if we don't get to the deepest chamber of the shrine, our best option is to hit the shrine at its weakest points and the places where we will get the best results. By detonating the C4 in the center of the cave, it will weaken the integrity of the entire structure, destroying it completely from all angels, including the two outer paths."

"Forward it is," Revali muttered.

They continued on, taking the central path which moved deeper into the shrine. After a few minutes more, their path ended abruptly, dropping down into the darkness. The hole didn't seem to be too wide, but wide enough that none of them were willing to risk jumping across. A single, narrow plank that seemed to just cover the length of the hole lay on its side against the wall, suggesting that someone had crossed recently. They positioned the plank across the opening, then one by one, they moved slowly across and safely on the other side.

The path then opened slightly, revealing man-made columns along the edges of the wall, suggesting that the walls there were thinner. Link placed the C4 as instructed by his father, and they continued on. Once more, the path opened, revealing a large, central chamber. There was a path to their left, to their right, and then continuing onward on the other side of the room. They placed more C4 around the edges of chamber before moving on, until finally, the path opened up into a final chamber, bringing them to what they assumed was the end of the shrine.

While the other rooms remained empty, this room held the ancient technology of the Sheikah from an age long ago. It was a technology that, even without any source of electricity or energy, seemed to still be alive, despite its dormant state. Cobwebs and dirt covered the various tubes that moved down the walls and over the ceiling, each coming together in the center of the room. Four tubes moved down like columns, marking what appeared to be a dried up pool of sorts. Ancient Sheikah markings were carved into the walls and along the tubes.

While the Champions looked around them in mistified awe, Rusl moved forward to plant the remaining C4 along the walls and in the center of the chamber.

"This place gives me bad vibes," Revali muttered. "Can we get out of here?"

"I still think this is a waste," Mipha said.

With the C4 strategically placed throughout the shrine, they were free to make their way back to the exit. They retraced their path exactly, taking the middle passageway straight through. But as soon as they stepped foot inside, they could hear the distinct sound of footsteps on the hard ground, coming from what could have only been the left and right passageways, and moving quickly up behind them.

"Yiga," Paya hissed, but the Champions didn't need to be reminded of their presence. They quickly broke into a run, unwilling to confront them in the narrow passageway of the shrine if it could be avoided.

Their pace, however, slowed suddenly as they reached the gap in the shrine. The narrow board that served as their bridge remained their only way across, and it wobbled and cracked under their weight as they tried to move across as quickly as possible. They stumbled as they picked up speed once more.

"Up ahead," Paya said as they neared the central chamber. "There are more waiting for us."

Daruk turned to Link. "We're close enough," he said. "Detonate the explosives. We'll be able to get out."

Link didn't hesitate. He pulled out the device, but when he pressed the button, nothing happened. He cursed loudly as he slammed his finger into it repeatedly. They were out of range, and the Yiga were closing in on them from all three of the passageways. Including the Yiga that waited for them at the entrance of the shrine, they would be completely surrounded and heavily outnumbered. They didn't stand a damn chance. Not unless Link could block the three passages behind them by setting off the C4. He needed to get in range.

He turned on his heels suddenly and sprinted down the passage and back towards the gap they had crossed. With a little luck, that would put him close enough to set off the C4. It would likely block his path back to the exit, but he didn't care; it would give his friends a chance to escape. With them alive, they could still finish the Yiga Clan once and for all. They certainly didn't need him to do it.

It took the group a moment to realize what Link was doing as he sprinted off into the darkness. They shouted for him, but he ignored them. When he neared the gap, he could see the light of the approaching Yiga foot soldiers getting closer, about to come around the corner. He threw himself off the ledge, landing hard and tumbling across the ground on the other side. When he turned, he met his father's gaze, who had sprinted after him in an attempt to stop him.

"Don't!"

He met his father's fallen gaze, closed his eyes, then pressed the button, and the C4 ignited.

Rusl shouted to his son, but was pulled backward suddenly, and he and Revali fell to the ground from the force of the explosion. The passageway began to tremble, and the walls and ceiling began to crack and crumble. Rusl shouted again, desperately getting to his feet. He lunged forward as the ceiling above him began to crumble, blocking him from throwing himself across the gap, and soon cutting off his view completely. Revali pulled him backwards, and before he knew it, they were sprinting through the passageway once more and toward the exit.

The crumbling stone followed on their heels as they dashed back through the central chamber. The left and right passages were already blocked, and the ceiling crumbled around them and moved quickly ahead, threatening to crush them under its rubble. Daruk threw his shield around them in a desperate attempt to shield them from the falling debris as they moved out of the central chamber and back down the first passageway.

Just as Paya had said, Yiga foot soldiers were waiting for them. They blocked the entrance, eagerly hoping to prevent the Champions from escaping and letting them get crushed alive by the crumbling shrine. Daruk, Paya, and Urbosa quickly moved to the front of the group as they ran. Paya threw her palm out, sending a sudden forcewave at the Yiga soldiers, but they were prepared for her attack.

They dropped their defenses, and that's when Urbosa attacked next. Outside, lightning struck the ground violently, sending a few of the soldiers flying through the air. Daruk jumped forward next, slamming his fist into the ground and knocking the rest of them backwards. Another punch with his other fist sent several of them flying further back. Their bodies made contact with various boulders and trees and their bones cracked sickeningly, quickly ending their lives.

They made it out of the shrine at that moment as it continued to cave in, sealing the entrance completely. Paya and Revali worked quickly to take out the rest of the surviving Yiga soldiers, and almost as quickly as it began, the battle ended. The Yiga that waited to ambush them were defeated. The rumbling of the imploding shrine had ceased completely. Birds scattered through the trees, bursting through the thick undergrowth of the trees in fright. The Champions turned their stunned gazes to the destroyed shrine, and the world fell silent.


	35. Chapter 35

Rusl looked desperately back at the shrine, shouting angrily. "No!" His voice bounced off the trees in the eerily silent forest. He fell silent, his eyes searching for some sign of his son, but there was none.

"Relax," Revali said. He forced an arrogant grin in an attempt to calm Rusl and the rest of his friends. "He kinda has a knack for somehow escaping inevitable death."

Rusl sneered at Revali over his shoulder, but said nothing. He felt oddly comforted by Revali's words. There seemed to be some truth to them, anyway. Still. It didn't change the fact that, once again, his son threw himself right into the face of certain death. If he found him alive, he would kill him himself.

As if in answer to their growing doubts, the ground began to tremble once more. The Champions hurried through the darkness as best as they could to the source of the trembling. They ran for nearly a quarter of a mile before they reached a small, sharp valley in between the hills of the forest, in a clearing just behind the destroyed shrine. The only indication that they were, in fact, behind the shrine, was the collapse of the raised ground and rubble. It seemed likely that the collapse had also caused the sudden valley, as trees lay uprooted and scattered around them. In the valley, several bodies of Yiga soldiers lay motionless. Link stood on the ledge on the other side, wiping a bloodied dagger across his jeans. He looked up at his friends as they neared, bathed in the light of the full moon. Their gazes moved from the lifeless Yiga soldiers, over to Link, stunned expressions on their faces.

"I got lost," he said as he met their shocked gazes. Link pocketed his dagger and made his way around the valley, back towards the group.

"You turned," Daruk said simply. He met Link's gaze, noticing then the darkness that sill clouded his eyes. "You let yourself turn."

"I don't let it happen," Link sneered.

"You didn't stop it."

"I can't stop it!"

"You're not back," Revali hissed.

Link hesitated. He pulled his gaze away.

"What's wrong with you?" Revali's gaze narrowed on him.

Link pushed passed them. "Nothing."

"That's not nothing," Revali barked, following after him. "You're not back to normal yet."

"Maybe this is as normal as I'll get," Link muttered. He looked around quickly, noticing then that his father was not with them. "Where is he?"

The others looked around, too. They hurriedly made their way back into the dense forest until they reached what had been the entrance to the shrine. There, two figures stood face to face, but Link immediately recognized them both; Rusl and Dorian.

Link quickly raised his weapon, his lips pulling into a sneer. "What is this?" he hissed. "What's going on?"

"You survived," Dorian said in a disinterested tone. He turned back to Rusl, but Rusl held his gaze on Link.

"I know you're not an idiot," Dorian said calmly. He turned to face them. "You know that won't do you any good here."

Link's gaze hardened as he looked between the two men. His heart raced as his mind went through every possible scenario in that moment. The one he kept coming back to, however, stung the most. Was it possible that his father, too, was a traitor? That he and Dorian were in cahoots the whole time? That his whole life was a damn lie, and he was just their tool in this war? The color visibly drained from his face as this realization came to him, and his father's brows furrowed in concern as he watched these emotions fly across his son's face.

"What is this?" Link growled, forcing himself to remain steady. He turned to glance over his shoulder when he heard Paya's voice speaking his name in warning. He turned his gaze to his father. Rusl's expression was hard, but he made no attempt to clear up any of Link's confusion.

"I'll make it simple for you," Dorian said simply. "The lies will do you no good, now. I'm working with the Yiga Clan."

Except from a small gasp from Paya, the room was quiet.

Dorian's voice dropped and he averted his gaze. "I have been for a very long time. Before the lot of you were even thought of."

"Why?" Paya asked softly. "How... how could you?"

Dorian shook his head. "It wasn't by choice," he said. "Knowing the legends, they needed someone on the inside to give them an edge in the war. My connection with the Royal Family was just what they needed, and to get me to cooperate, they killed my wife and threatened to take my daughters."

Link turned his gaze to his father once more. His expression had softened at this point, as if reliving the painful memory Dorian shared with them. He met his son's gaze, and Link allowed himself to lower his weapon.

"I was to be a spy for the Yiga Clan. But it was because of Impa and your father that my girls were safe. So, I fed them intel on you and Zelda. Most of it false."

"Most of it?" Urbosa sneered.

"I needed to gain Kohga's trust," Dorian said. "And in doing so, I needed to seem like they were getting the edge they needed. But nothing I gave him put any of you in any grave danger. Certainly nothing that you couldn't handle. I owed that to your father, at least. I had no doubt he would kill me himself if I broke the promise I made to him twenty-six years ago."

"You didn't exactly do a good job," Rusl muttered.

Dorian snarled over his shoulder and gestured to Link with his hand. "He's still alive, isn't he?"

Rusl grinned at his friend.

Revali made a disapproving sound. "Uh-uh. Nope. Don't buy it. The two of you had murder in your eyes ten years ago."

"Being a double agent," Dorian started, "I had to keep a lot of things from a lot of people. Your father included." Dorian shrugged. "Can't say I blame him for not trusting me."

"There's a lot of distrust between us," Rusl confirmed with a nod.

"Sounds like a solid friendship," Daruk muttered.

"I've kept true to my word," Dorian said.

"So far," Rusl added.

"Like you're one to talk," Dorian hissed again over his shoulder.

Rusl raised his hands in the air defensively.

"The shrine is warded," Dorian said. "And I cannot lift it without raising suspicions. Kohga doesn't know I am here. You're on your own. But know that you cannot simply walk into the Yiga Clan's hideout." His gaze hardened. "You and Zelda are to stand down."

"No way," Link started, but Dorian interrupted him.

"That is not a request," he snarled. "That is an order."

Link narrowed his gaze on the Sheikah. "I don't take orders from you," he said. "You can't make me do shit."

Dorian made the simple motion of raising his arm, and Link immediately felt paralyzed, unable to move. All he could do was sneer at Dorian.

"Let me go," he barked.

"You and your father have a bad habit of disobeying orders," he snarled. "As if my job wasn't difficult enough. I don't need you useless sacks of flesh running into your deaths. What you did in there was stupid. You're as stupid as your damn father."

Link grinned. "Thank you."

"That is not a compliment," he sneered. He turned his gaze to Rusl. "I'm gettin' real tired of you damn Hylians," he muttered.

Rusl smiled.

"Oh, you're real proud, aren't you?" Dorian snapped. "I should have killed you all when I had the chance. You've given me more problems then I needed. And I'm not busting you out of Kohga's hold again. You and Link will be useless against the Yiga. If I allow anyone to help in this war, it will be restricted to the Champions. They'll at least have a damn fighting chance."

"It's about time someone recognizes our competence," Revali said.

"And what are you going to do to stop me?" Link hissed.

Dorian grinned. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see." He turned to Rusl. "Please don't make this difficult for me. We never saw each other." With a snap of his fingers, he was gone.

They fell silent. Rusl turned to Link, his gaze hard. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I told you he'd be fine," Revali said, rolling his eyes.

"How did you get yourself out of that?" Rusl said, his voice hard.

Link hesitated. "I'm stronger than I look."

"He turned," Revali hissed. "He turned and used his stupid dark voodoo magic get him out and kill everything in his path."

Rusl's face softened as he studied his son, and Link pulled his gaze away. Once more, they fell silent, until Daruk finally spoke.

"Okay, I'll say it," Daruk said. "Can we really trust Dorian?"

Link hesitated. He turned his gaze to his father. His brows furrowed, but Rusl said nothing. He cursed under his breath and pulled his gaze away. "I'll kill you both if I have to," he muttered.

Rusl grinned. "I'd like to see you try."

Link glanced at him, still feeling uneasy, but his gaze narrowed. "Don't test me," he hissed.

Rusl took the weapon out of his holster and held it out toward Link. His brows knit together. "Make your choice."

Link's gaze moved between his father and the weapon. He desperately wanted to trust his father. "I already have," he said simply. He turned his gaze to the sky at the distant sound of an engine. It moved quickly overhead where two helicopters moved low over the trees.

"Those are Roham's," Rusl said.

At that moment, Revali's phone rang, and he answered it quickly. "What?" he snapped. His eyes narrowed on Link as he listened. "Now you tell us? It's a little too late for your warning… What do you mean you didn't know?... Zelda doesn't know? Oh, for fuck's sake." He ended the call angrily and pointed a finger at Link.

"Dorian tipped Roham off. Told him we'd be here. He's sending his fucking guys over here to arrest your stupid ass."

Link's lips pulled at the corners into a sneer. "Bastard," he hissed.

"Now what?" Urbosa asked. "Run from the law?"

"You don't have a choice," Rusl said. "Move."

The Champions ran through the forest once more. The helicopters continued to circle overhead, their engines fading in and out as they moved closer and further away, searching for Link. When the Champions neared the edge of the forest, however, they were greeted by Roham's soldiers, armed and ready. They shouted to the Champions, their weapons raised threateningly as they closed in, stopping them in their tracks.

But the darkness was still pulsing through him, and their ambush only triggered Link to turn once more. No longer self-aware, his body moved automatically, swiftly taking out several of the powerless soldiers with a single pass of his arm. Those that remained standing lunged at him. They fired their weapons, but Link was quicker. He pulled his daggers out and thrust them into the soldiers as they neared, quickly ending their lives.

It was then that Revali sprang into action, darting to Link and shoving his own blade into Link's side at the same moment. Link staggered and thrust his arm to the side, but Revali was quick to dodge the attack. He appeared at Link's other side in an instant and threw a punch toward Link. But Link caught Revali's wrist and twisted, throwing him forcefully into the ground.

He looked up and around at the people he did not recognize. They stood around him, keeping their distance, regarding him warily.

But instead of attacking, the darkness seemed to extinguish suddenly, and Link dropped to his knees as he started to come to. When the darkness passed completely, he was staring down at the ground. He felt something cool against his temple, and he closed his eyes, his heart racing. When he dared to open them again, he looked up to the sight that awaited him. Revali was getting back to his feet, his angry eyes bearing into Link. He wiped blood off his face with the back of one hand, while the other dangled broken at his side. Hyrulean soldiers lay scattered around him, most of whom were motionless, dead or unconscious, all at his own hands. His stomach twisted sickeningly and he had to pull his gaze away from the sight. He bit his lower lip as his eyes squeezed shut. He heard his name whispered softly, and he followed the voice to the man that held a gun to his temple.

"Fucking do it!" he shouted to his father, his voice shaking. When his father did not respond, he moved his gaze to meet his teary eyes and he had to pull his gaze away again. His chest ached painfully for the destruction he had caused. Innocent lives lost because of him.

Rusl removed the weapon from his son's head and pocketed it without a word. He dropped to his knees and pulled his son to him, wrapping his arms around him, but Link pulled away. The darkness still clouded his eyes, but for a moment, he was very much aware of the world around him.

He looked up as the helicopters approached and landed not more than twenty yards away from them. Heavily armored soldiers and Sheikah alike jumped out before it even landed on the ground. They shouted at the Champions, their weapons drawn as they hurried toward Link.

"Go," Rusl hissed at him. He grabbed his son's arm, pulling him back. "Get out of here. We'll take care of this."

But Link pulled away from his father. He stepped forward, raising his arms slightly to show he would not fight. But as he moved and the rest of the darkness faded away, the pain from his stab wound seared through him, and he nearly doubled over, gasping. He watched, sneering as they circled in around him, then closed in. One of the soldiers pulled his arms behind his back while the others took his weapons from him. He felt the cold metal of the cuffs clasp around his wrist and they pushed him forward to the awaiting helicopter. He glanced at his friends over his shoulder one last time before he was pushed inside, and the helicopter took flight once more.

The Champions watched in silence as the helicopter disappeared over the horizon. Revali was the first to speak.

"Can we just let him rot in jail?" he muttered as Mipha moved to his side to heal him. "I'm sick of saving his ass. All I get in return is a damn broken wrist."

"You did stab him first," Mipha muttered.

"He deserved it," Revali muttered. He turned his wrist over when Mipha finished. "Don't worry, the Sheikah won't let him bleed out. Not yet, anyway."

But Mipha was not amused.

"The fuck do we do now?" Daruk grunted.

"We should have gone to the spring first," Urbosa said regretfully.

"He'll turn again," Paya warned. "And if he doesn't turn back… they'll kill him."

"Dorian won't let them," Mipha said slowly. She checked Rusl's expression, but could not read him. He was staring toward the horizon where the helicopter disappeared. "Right?"

"So, we're trusting the double agent?" Revali sneered.

"I think he's a triple agent," Daruk pointed out.

"Come on, Rusl," Revali barked, growing irritated. "What's the damn plan?"

"I thought you wanted to let him rot," he said dryly. He turned his attention back to the group. "Breaking laws isn't exactly your forte, anyway."

Urbosa snorted and put a hand on her hip. "You don't know what he does for a living."

Revali rolled his eyes, but otherwise ignored her. "And it's yours?"

"Let's just say Roham won't waste his resources on trying to throw my ass in jail."

"We need to get him out of there before he turns again," Urbosa said.

"Breaking him out won't be so easy," Daruk said. "We don't even know where they're taking him."

Revali promptly pulled his phone out and dialed. He brought it to his ear and waited. "Teba. Small problem. Roham's got Link."

They fell silent as Revali nodded, then after a few more short words, he ended the call.

"They're taking him to maximum security," he said. "In the middle of nowhere in Tabantha."

Urbosa turned to Paya. "Can you get us there?"

"I'm out," Rusl said. "That place will be crawling with Sheikah. I'll just get in the way."

"Good," Revali said smugly. "Leave the rescuing to the competent heroes."


	36. Chapter 36

"Tabantha?" Zelda echoed angrily. "You act as if he's -"

"What?" Dorian sneered. "A murderer?"

Zelda's mouth hung open. She closed it slowly and averted her gaze. Teba tensed at her side, still untrusting of the Sheikah that had just moments ago admitting to them to working with the Yiga Clan. "Dorian," she said softly. "You cannot let my father do this."

"There is nothing I can do to stop him," Dorian said simply. "Besides. As he is, he poses a threat to our kingdom."

Zelda held her gaze on him. "Link can be saved. But if you let my father keep him captive, he will be lost. He will die. And then he will pose a threat to the kingdom and to me. But until that day comes, it is your duty to save him."

Dorian was quiet for a moment, holding his gaze on her. "There is nothing I can do," he finally said. "I'm being pulled thin as it is, and I have appearances to keep up with Kohga if I want to avoid suspicion."

Zelda fumed silently. She still wasn't sure if she could trust him. But for the moment, he seemed to be on her side. "Get us to Tabantha," she said. "The Champions will be there to get Link. I'm done standing by and letting them fight this war alone."

"Fine," Dorian said simply.

Zelda met his gaze, but she could not hold the genuine surprised expression that crossed her face.

"I'm not against you, Zelda," he said softly. "Everything I have done was to prevent anything bad from befalling you and Link. My methods may not make sense to you, but you must understand that plans have been in motion long before you were born. Plans to keep you and Link and all of Hyrule safe from the wars that threaten us."

Zelda turned away from him. She glanced at him over her shoulder when she spoke. "You're wasting my time."

Dorian's gaze hardened. Without another word, he raised his arm, and she and Teba vanished.

They weren't prepared for the cold Tabantha air that stung their skin when they appeared in the northern region. They were just outside of the prison, though the security guards did not seem to be surprised at their sudden appearance. They stepped aside as Zelda narrowed her eyes at them, and they moved passed them, pausing only when they heard the air snap once more behind them. Zelda spun on her heels to see the Champions standing before her, equally as unprepared for the Tabantha weather.

"Nice timing," Revali said with a grin.

The seven of them hurried into the prison, but this time, they were stopped by two more guards. To their surprise, however, none of them were Sheikah.

"Step aside," Zelda growled, and Paya moved to stand at her side, pulling her shoulders back in warning. The two guards looked to one another for a moment, then they, too, granted them entrance deeper into the prison.

After a moment more of navigating the halls, they finally found Roham. He turned to them when they rounded the corner, and his Sheikah guards stepped closer to him. Just beyond them, more Sheikah guards stood, with Link in their clutches.

Zelda moved toward her father, her lips pulled into a snarl. "Release him this instant."

The guards looked between Zelda and her father, which only infuriated her more.

"That is an order! He is not your king!"

The guards hesitated a moment longer before releasing their hold on Link.

"He is dangerous," Roham snapped at his daughter. "I will not have him near you."

"That is not your call. You are not -"

"I am your father!"

"You cannot treat him like this," Zelda hissed. "Not after all he's done for your kingdom."

"That makes no difference when he is about to undo all you have done to keep this kingdom safe."

Zelda met his gaze, her brows knit together as she regarded him. Her voice lowered. "I will not let you touch him," she said.

"You cannot let your feelings for him cloud your judgement," Roham said sternly.

Zelda blinked at him, speechless for a moment. She fought to regain her composure, her eyes narrowing at him. "I will not sentence a man to his death who has done nothing wrong," she hissed.

"As a ruler, you must be proactive -"

"As a ruler, I will not pass judgement on those who are innocent!"

"He murdered my men!" Roham barked. "He is hardly innocent."

"It was not his doing! You know what Kohga has done to him!"

"And what will you do if he turns?" Roham asked his daughter. "Let him destroy this kingdom?"

Zelda cast her eyes away from him. "If it comes down to that, I will do what I have to do to stop him."

"Can you, Zelda? Can you honestly make that call?"

Zelda did not answer him. Roham turned his attention to the soldiers. Their hands rested on the weapons at their hips, standing only inches from Link. His dark gaze flashed red as he looked towards Zelda.

"This ends now," Roham said. With a nod towards the soldiers, they drew their weapons, and Teba quickly responded by drawing his own.

"No!" Mipha cried, but Zelda was quick to react, lurching forward with her hand outstretched. A force wave shot through, knocking her father, the soldiers, and Link, backwards and against the far wall. They lay motionless on the floor for a moment before they started to come to. Link was the first to get to his feet, the darkness gone from his eyes for the moment. Daruk hurried to his side, pulling him to his feet. Link stumbled forward, his mind still spinning as he fought to focus. He allowed Daruk to catch him and steady him on his feet without much fuss.

"Paya," Zelda said, breathless. She turned to the young Sheikah.

Paya did not hesitate. She stepped forward, meeting her queen, despite Roham's threats. Teba, too, moved forward, stepping between Zelda and the soldiers.

"If you leave," Roham started weakly as he struggled to get back to his feet. He turned his cold gaze to his daughter. "If you leave, you will betray your kingdom. You will give up the throne. If you leave -"

"Go," Teba growled to them over his shoulder.

Zelda straightened and narrowed her gaze on him. "Get us out of here," she muttered to Paya. And with a flash, they were gone.

They were back at the ranch, where Kit, Rusl, and Aryll waited anxiously. They turned their gazes to the empty space that was suddenly occupied by the six Champions and Paya. Link was still leaning, exhausted, against Daruk. But before anyone else could think to speak, Zelda turned back to Paya.

"You need to go back for Teba," she said, her gaze fierce.

Paya nodded. Revali and Daruk joined her.

"We'll come with you," Daruk said. "You could use the help."

Without wasting a moment more, the three of them promptly disappeared into thin air.

Zelda turned to Link, her brows furrowed, ignoring Mipha's questioning stare. "Are you alright?" she asked carefully.

"Oh, yeah," Link said dryly. "In the past four hours, I took on an entire army of Yiga bastards, I went on a murderous rampage, I was stabbed by Revali, then dragged to a maximum security prison, where I was then attacked by you, and zipped through time and space back here. I'm fucking swell."

"The fuck?"

Hearing Aryll's voice, Link turned to his sister, but his expression was still hard. "Did I stutter?" he barked at her.

"Enough," Rusl growled.

"Yikes," Kit muttered. "What the hell did I miss?"

Paya, Revali, and Daruk found themselves in Tabantha once more. A light snow had started to fall, but they were otherwise sheltered by the trees as they stood at the edge of a dark forest. The prison stood out in the night, cast aglow by the surrounding spotlights outside.

"I guess they won't let us waltz on in this time," Revali mused.

"I don't think we'll be able to sneak past a bunch of Sheikah guards," Daruk said.

Revali turned to Paya. "Why can't you just poof us in there?"

"I probably can," she said. "But they'll sense us there. If I do that, we won't have a lot of time."

"We don't need time," Revali said. "Poof us in, we'll get Teba, then poof us out."

"I don't know where Teba is," Paya admitted. "There's something… off about the prison. I can usually get a good sense of who's inside and where they are, but."

She hesitated, then shook her head. "I can get us as close as I can to where I think he might be," she explained. "But we still won't have a lot of time."

"Do we have any other options?" Daruk asked.

Paya bit her lip. "Probably not." She sighed. "Alright. Let's take the risk." With a crack in the air, they were quickly pulled through space once more, appearing inside the prison.

"He'll likely be in temporary holding," Paya said. "They won't bother to keep him here for long. They'll transport him somewhere else as soon as more guards show up. He won't waste the Sheikah on Teba. He'll use as many as he can to try to find Link again."

"You seem pretty sure about that," Daruk said carefully.

"Don't you think they'll be expecting a rescue mission?" Revali sneered.

"We're better off getting him now before he gets moved and we lose him," Paya said. Her gaze narrowed down the empty hall. "This way," she said quickly, signaling them to follow her.

They moved quickly and quietly through the prison until Paya stopped in front of a door. She hesitated a moment before pushing the door open and stepping inside. The room was fairly large, with a desk, chair, and two monitors in one corner. The room narrowed into a hallway beyond the desk, though it was dark. At the far end was a small cell where Teba sat. He looked up with a bored expression when they entered, then got to his feet.

"I was starting to think you were going to leave me here to rot," Teba said.

Paya offered him a small smile. "Seriously? Zelda would be insulted."

Teba's grin disappeared. "We don't have a lot of time."

Paya nodded. "I know." She let her hand hover over the steel door that locked Teba into the cell. "There's not much I can do, though. It is heavily warded. The whole room is."

"Warded?" Revali repeated. "From Sheikah?"

Paya nodded. "As far as I know, only Dorian is capable of this kind of power."

"Why would Dorian need to know how to ward off Sheikah?"

"I don't know," Paya admitted uneasily.

"Well, he didn't think of a way to ward off me," Daruk said. He cracked his knuckles. "I got this."

Paya stepped aside as Daruk moved towards the door. He looked over it for a moment, the nodded to himself.

"Alright, Teba, get outta the way." He positioned himself in front of the door, raising his fist. He put every ounce of his strength into his punch as he let his fist slam into the steel door, successfully knocking it off its hinges. The sound of the impact echoed through as the door flew into the concrete wall at the opposite end of the cell. Both the wall and door cracked and crumbled from the impact.

Teba stepped through the opening, looking around in awe at the destruction Daruk had caused. "Nice, dude." He grabbed his holster with his gun still inside from the desk at the other end of the room and clipped it back to the belt on his waist. His eyes flashed to the computer monitor where he caught a glimpse of a group of guards rushing down the nearby hallway, Dorian among them. But before he had a chance to warn his friends, they burst through the door, weapons drawn.

Teba pulled his out quickly, stepping in front of his friends.

"Drop your weapon!"

"Don't shoot," Paya hissed to Teba. "You don't know what Dorian is capable of."

Dorian pushed through the guards. "You better listen to her, Teba. You've already been marked a traitor. Don't make this any more difficult than it has to be."

"Get bent," Teba muttered, holding his aim steady.

Dorian's brows knit together. "Drop the weapon, or you will leave me with no other choice."

"Do your worst."

As Dorian raised a hand to instruct the guards to shoot, Daruk thrust his fist down against the concrete floor. The room shook violently, knocking Dorian and his men off their feet. A crack shot across the room and up the wall, threatening the integrity of the structure.

"Move!" Teba shouted at them, pushing Paya forward.

The four of them sprinted out of the room as Dorian and the guards got back to their feet. Dorian shouted at his men and they quickly followed suit, chasing the escapees through the prison.

"Get us out of here," Revali snarled at Paya.

They turned a corner where another group of guards stood, stopping them in their tracks. Teba spun on his heels, his weapon raised as Dorian and his men came up quickly behind them, trapping them.

"Paya!"

Gunshots echoed off the walls and in a bright flash, they were gone.


	37. Chapter 37

The sun was just starting to rise above the horizon, gracing the kingdom with it's warm, morning rays. It had been nearly a full twenty-four hours since any of them had slept, and they were starting to feel the effects of their lack of sleep. Still, they waited for the return of Paya, Revali, Daruk, and Teba. Riju balanced on one foot in an attempt to imitate some form of an ancient fighting technique. She narrowed her eyes on Link and beckoned to him with her fingers, her arm raised. Link rolled his eyes at her and turned away.

"Looks like I need to brush up on my fighting skills," Riju said. "Come on, Link, fight me!" She jumped onto her other foot, catching her balance. "I will destroy you with my power!"

"Yeah," Urbosa said. "You look real threatening with those made up movie-styled karate moves."

"Remember when we all thought Link was doing karate?" Riju dropped her pose, standing on both feet, and laughed. "What a joke that was."

"My karate saved your ass," Link snarled.

Riju rolled her eyes. "Right. I'm still convinced it was pure, dumb luck."

Link's expression softened and he shrugged. "Probably."

They all turned as a flash of light interrupted the conversation. Just yards away, Paya, Daruk, Revali, and Teba appeared out of nowhere. Teba was on his hands and knees, gasping. Revali fell backwards, pulling Daruk with him, leaving Paya the only one standing. She fought to catch her breath for a moment, turning to look at the three men on the ground around her. She shook her head as she turned her attention to Teba, who was still on the ground groaning, clutching at his shoulder. Blood seeped through his fingers.

Mipha rushed forward, dropping to her knees at his side. "You were shot!"

"Oh, for real?" Teba muttered. "I had no idea."

Mipha frowned at him. "I can't heal you with the bullet inside. I need to take it out."

Teba squeezed his eyes shut. "Yeah. Alright."

"I'm sorry, Teba," Mipha said with regret in her eyes.

"Just do it," he snarled.

Mipha sucked in a breath, not anymore thrilled to do it than Teba was, but she had no choice. She hesitated as Teba pulled his hand away, then dug her fingers into the wound. Teba pulled backwards, screaming and cursing at her, but Mipha ignored him and tried again.

"I'll fucking kill you, I swear to Hylia," he barked at her. But by the time he was finished speaking, the bullet was out of his shoulder and in Mipha's fingers.

Mipha let the bullet drop to the ground and moved her hand over the wound once more, this time to heal him. Within a few moments, the wound was closed.

"There," she said softly. She offered him a smile. "Better?"

Teba still had a snarl on his face. He met her gaze but said nothing.

Mipha rolled her eyes. "I saved your life. You're welcome."

"Yeah," Teba muttered, getting to his feet. He wiped at the wet blood on his arm, but all he did was smear it against his skin. He sighed and looked up as Link approached. Link inspected his shoulder for a moment, then punched him hard.

"The fuck was that for?" Teba barked at him.

"For getting shot!"

Teba grinned. "The things I do for you," he said, shaking his head.

"Stop it," Link hissed.

"You're just mad that you're not the big shot hero this time around."

Link wrinkled his nose and turned away from him. "Whatever."

"You know," Revali started, turning to Zelda. "I'm getting real tired of your father's shit. He's a fucking child."

Zelda sighed, but otherwise ignored him. She turned her attention to Paya. "Thank you for getting him out of there."

"And you," Revali growled at Link. He pointed a finger at him. "You broke my damn wrist!"

"You stabbed me!"

"You went Hulk!"

Link hesitated. Since he turned at the shrine, a part of him still felt the cloud of darkness moving through him, more present than it had ever been. He didn't know if it was apparent to the others, but now he could feel it start to pulse even stronger, and his vision darkened at the corners as it threatened to take over once more. He turned away from Revali, biting his lower lip.

Revali's face whitened, already catching on to Link's change in behavior. His eyes narrowed on him, and he quickly drew his bow. "Paya," he snarled in warning.

Link's eyes flashed red once more. But before he had a chance to strike, Paya stepped forward, her arm outstretched. The force of her attack sent Link flying backwards, crashing into the outerwall of the barn. The air snapped as she disappeared, then appeared once more at his side as Link moved to get to his feet. She thrust her arm out once more, using her power to pin Link against the wall. He snarled inhumanly at her and struggled against the force, but she had him, and his power - at least for the moment - completely immobilized.

Her eyes narrowed on him as she concentrated her power into keeping him pinned against the wall. She said nothing as the group slowly made their way over to them.

"Bastard," Revali hissed.

"How long can you hold him back?" Zelda asked.

"I don't know," Paya admitted. "Few hours, maybe."

"We're out of time," Daruk growled. "If we're going to save him, we need to do it now."

Zelda nodded slowly. "Right," she started. "As soon as he's back to normal, we'll go to the spring."

The Champions, however, didn't know how long it would take before Link would return to his normal self. And as the minutes turned to hours, they started to realize it could be quite some time before that would happen. They opted to take shifts throughout the day, a couple of them staying with Paya while the others did their best to occupy their minds with other menial activities. And when Paya's strength began to falter and Link threatened to overpower her hold, Zelda took over, holding him back as best as she could and allowing Paya to rest.

They worked like this through the morning, and though her father had given her strict orders not to go near him, Aryll couldn't help but to watch with a broken heart as her brother began to disappear in front of her eyes. Though he hadn't been straightforward once with her since their kidnapping, she knew she was losing him, and there was a strong chance he would succumb to the darkness that grew inside of him. She suspected her father was also starting to come to this realization, judging by the torn expression on his own face.

The afternoon turned to evening, though the world grew very dark as storm clouds began to roll in. Paya took over holding Link back once more, and the Champions, plus Riju, Rusl, Teba, and Kit, gathered inside the farmhouse to discuss their plans to go to the spring.

"There's a good chance the Yiga will be waiting for us there," Zelda said. "But for this, we will be better off in a smaller group. Daruk and Revali will go with me."

"Why don't we get to go out adventuring?" Riju whined.

"It's hardly adventuring," Teba muttered. "If anyone should be complaining, it's me for being stuck here with you."

"Let the tough guys think they need to protect us here," Urbosa said. "It makes them feel good."

Riju rolled her eyes. "Right, like this guy could protect us." She thrust a thumb in Kit's direction.

"Rude," Kit said simply.

"What happens if it doesn't work?" Rusl asked.

Revali met Rusl's gaze. "What has he told you?" he asked carefully.

"Next to nothing," Rusl said.

"Then let me fill you in," he said. "Every time he turns, it gets worse and worse, and it lasts longer and longer, until he just won't turn back. He'll be gone, and there will be nothing we can do about it."

"There has to be something," Rusl said.

"There isn't," Revali snapped. He hesitated, meeting Rusl's gaze. "And when that happens, we need to take him out." Rusl opened his mouth to argue further, but Revali cut him off. "That's what he wants," he said sharply.

"No!"

Rusl turned to see his daughter in the doorway with tears in her eyes. Her brows furrowed angrily, and before anyone could stop her, she ran out of the house and towards the barn. Picking the gun up from the counter, Revali ran after her, and Rusl and Daruk quickly followed suit.

Despite their shouts behind her, Aryll threw herself at her brother, still pinned against the wall by Paya's power. She wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging desperately to him and sobbing into his chest.

"You promised!" she shouted at him between sobs. Her voice softened. "It was just us. Just me and you. You promised we would be okay. You promised you would be there. You said you'd always be there." She cried harder when her brother did not respond. "That hasn't changed! You can't give up! You promised, Link! You promised!"

"Aryll," Revali warned. He raised the weapon in his hand, but his hand shook and his vision blurred.

"No," she sobbed. "No. Please. Link, please. You promised. You promised." Her voice trailed off as she cried softly.

Rusl turned away. He couldn't bear the sight of his broken children, the ones he had abandoned. In that moment, it didn't matter why he did it, even if it was to protect them. He had abandoned them, left them alone with no one but each other, and it seemed very likely that Aryll would soon lose her brother. He would lose his son.

"Ary."

Aryll pulled back suddenly as Link's muscles relaxed and he dropped to his knees. She moved back to him frantically, pulling his chin up and watching as the red in his eyes faded. She broke into tears once more and fell against him. He wrapped his arms loosely around her, but said nothing further as she sobbed.

At the sound of his son's voice, Rusl turned around quickly. He watched as his son returned to his normal self, and he sighed softly in relief.

When her crying finally lessened, Link spoke. "Get out."

Aryll pulled back and regarded her brother with confusion. "What?"

"Get out," he snarled, not meeting her gaze.

"Come on," Paya said softly, pulling Aryll to her feet. Aryll held her gaze on her brother, fear in her eyes, as Paya pushed her out of the barn.

Link felt sick to his stomach, in more ways than one. He didn't know how long he had been there, or what had happened, if anything. He could have guessed, based on how he felt, that it had been a long day. The only thing he was absolutely sure of was that the next time would be his last. Pain ripped through his body, and he wrapped his arms around himself with a pained groan before falling into unconsciousness.

When he awoke, he was lying on the hard ground. He opened his eyes to see the faces of Revali, Daruk, and his father hovering over him. They backed away slightly as he sat up. His head throbbed and his hand rushed to his forehead in an attempt to stop the world from spinning. When he looked up, Revali and Daruk were on their feet, and his father held a hand out, pulling him to his own feet once he took his hand.

"How long?" Link asked. When no one answered, he asked again, his voice fierce.

"Since this morning," Daruk said.

Link met Revali's gaze. "When it happens again," he said, "you need to pull the damn trigger."

"Link -" Revali started, but Link cut him off.

"Next time I won't come back!"

They fell silent for a moment.

"How can you be so sure?" Daruk asked.

"I just know," Link hissed. "Alright? I'm done. End it."

"I'm not doing it," Revali sneered.

"You promised you would," Link barked.

"Because I didn't think it would come down to that!"

"Come on," Link muttered. "You hate me. It should be easy."

Revali pushed his shoulder hard. "This isn't funny!"

"Revali, your soft side is showing."

"Idiot," he hissed.

He pulled a gun out from under his jacket. He shoved the weapon into Revali's chest. Link met his gaze, his expression serious. "Don't miss."

"Fuck off, man."

Link stepped out of the barn. The rain fell heavily, but he paid no mind to it. It was about the only thing that kept him grounded and aware of the world around him, reminding him that, for a little longer, he was alive. It felt cool and refreshing against his skin and even chilled him. He shivered slightly, then looked over his shoulder as his father followed him out of the barn.

"How long were you going to keep this from me?" Rusl snapped.

"It doesn't matter," Link hissed. "If this doesn't work, that's it. I don't come back. There's nothing you or anyone can do about it."

"It doesn't matter?" Rusl sneered. "I've been fighting to keep you alive since before you were fucking born, and you think your death doesn't fucking matter?"

"There's nothing you can do!"

Rusl stared at his son; his face softened. When he didn't speak, Link continued.

"I've already accepted it," he said. "It's time everyone else does."

"No," Rusl muttered. His face hardened once more as he grew angry. "Absolutely not. You don't get to tell me what I have to accept. I've accepted every damn thing up to this point. I worked too damn hard to keep your stupid ass alive to let you throw it all away."

"The hell do you think you're gonna do about it?" Link snapped.

Rusl hesitated. He pulled his gaze away from Link and pinched his lips together.

Link narrowed his gaze on him. "What else are you hiding?" he hissed. When his father didn't speak, he raised his voice. "Whatever you think you're planning, forget it. I won't allow it."

Rusl winced slightly. "Look," he started. "I have to do what I have to do. It's just another thing I've had to accept."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Rusl met his gaze, his brows kit together. "It means you can't fucking die. Or all of this will have been for nothing."

"If I turn," Link started, "all of this will have been for nothing. Everything Zelda and I have done to keep Hyrule safe. Just stay out of this. You have no part in this."

Rusl laughed sharply. "Yeah. You know what? Fuck you. You don't know shit. I'm more a part of this than you are."

"Well, then, why don't you enlighten me?"

"Forget it," Rusl muttered. "You're a fucking idiot."

"I'm sick of your shit," Link hissed. "You think you can just take care of everything yourself. Look how that has worked out for you so far. All your actions - those were your choices. And we suffered the consequences. I don't have a choice here, but you do. I'm gone, Dad. And I promised Aryll she wouldn't be alone. You don't get to do something stupid and leave her alone like that."

"You're not -"

"She can't lose us both!"

"Stop fighting!"

Rusl and Link turned suddenly to the voice. Aryll stood in the rain, her hair plastered to her face. They had no clue how long she had been there, not even noticing her approach. Though the rain ran down her face, it was clear that she was crying. Her body shook and her shoulders shuttered with each forced breath.

"Why the fuck are you always fighting?" she yelled at them.

Link bit his lip and pulled his gaze away. He dared a glance at his father, but Rusl had his back turned to them slightly, and he was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"For the love of… fuck! No one's going anywhere, alright?" Her voice lowered, and her shoulders dropped. "No one's going anywhere, right?"

"Aryll," Link started. But his sister was looking passed him at their father, her brows furrowed as she studied him. Link turned to him as Rusl glanced over his shoulders, and his ears twitched.

"What is she -"

"We're not fighting," Rusl said in an exhausted tone, cutting Aryll off. He met Link's gaze. "And no one's going anywhere."

Link pulled his gaze away. All he wanted to do was prepare everyone - prepare himself - for the worst possible scenario. His chances of coming out of this all alive seemed slim to none, now. The least he could do was make sure that when he was gone, everything would be okay. Aryll wouldn't be without a family. Hyrule would remain standing, at peace once more. And life would go on for everyone. But it seemed his father, the one person he thought could be the most logical and realistic about the situation, couldn't accept his son's fate. Link couldn't blame him, of course, but that only made it that more difficult for him to accept his own death. There was no getting through to him, and he was terrified of what his father would do to prevent his inevitable death. He couldn't stand to watch his father come apart, so he pushed passed his sister, ignored the puddles that soaked his feet, and made his way into the house.


	38. Chapter 38

It had been over twenty-four hours since the Champions had found a chance to sleep. And though they were anxious to get Link to the spring as soon as possible before they missed their chance, they knew they would not have the energy to defend themselves should they be ambushed in the process. Begrudgingly, they agreed to set out in the morning, and one by one, their exhausted bodies quickly succumbed to sleep.

It was late when Mipha found Link, sitting alone in the living room. Except for the glow from the tv, the room was dark. She sat on the couch beside him, pulling her legs to her chest and letting her cheek rest on her knees. Link was staring at the tv, but wasn't really paying attention to it, but simply spacing out. The news anchor was still talking, the volume too low to hear what was being said, but based on the footage on the screen, Mipha was sure that there was speculation about Zelda and Link. She caught a glimpse of the words scrolling across the bottom of the screen: Hyrule's Hero and Queen – Traitors? – Missing in Action.

Mipha turned her gaze to Link, but he was looking off into the darkness. She moved closer to him, pushing his leg to the side until she was able to lay against his chest. She sighed softly and closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her. He leaned against her head and breathed her in. She listened to the beating of his heart. It felt like years since she had been this close to him, feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath, reminding her that they were still alive. Those days in high school felt like a lifetime ago, and here they were, back in the hopelessness of war.

Mipha turned her face up to Link and pressed her lips softly against his. He was hesitant, but after a moment, his body relaxed against her as he deepened their kiss. He pulled away just slightly, meeting her gaze. He searched her eyes, saying nothing for a moment. He closed his eyes and let his forehead rest against her. Mipha moved her fingers across his cheek, then pressed her palm against his skin.

"Will you promise me something?" Link finally spoke, his voice soft and hoarse.

"Of course," Mipha said. "Anything."

Link pulled away and met her gaze once more. "Take care of Aryll."

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "No, Link. You'll be here for her."

He looked away from her, staring into the darkness once more. "You don't know that."

"I do," she said, her voice cracking. "You can't give up, Link. We'll fix this."

"I'm not giving up," he said, his brows knit together.

Mipha sat up. "Then what?"

Link turned his gaze to her again, but said nothing.

"You know I will," Mipha said. "But I won't have to, okay? Promise me that?"

"I can't make promises like that," Link said. His brows furrowed. "I have no control over what happens to me. You need to understand that. If we don't find a fix for this, I'll be gone. That's the reality of the situation."

Mipha blinked through her tears and pulled her gaze away. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you have to accept it," Link said.

"Accept it?" Her voice shook. "Accept your death as an inevitability?"

"There's a chance I won't come back tomorrow."

She turned back to him. "I won't accept it. You think you can prepare us for this, but you can't. I can't watch you leave tomorrow and be okay with the fact that you might not return. I won't say goodbye!"

Link pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "Then don't," he whispered against her lips. Despite thinking he had accepted his fate, he so desperately wanted to stay alive. To stay with Mipha, and Aryll, his father, and his friends. He wanted a chance. Just a chance to make everything right. With his father back, he was so close. It was all just out of his reach, and he wanted it more than anything else.

"We need you," Mipha whispered against him. "You are not a tool. You are so much more than just a hero. You have not outlived your purpose, Link. Hylia… she wouldn't reward her Chosen Hero like that. She won't let you die."

Link hesitated. "How can you be so sure about that?"

Mipha smiled at met his gaze. "Because I have faith in her." She shrugged. "And I've seen some pretty crazy and unexplainable things over the years. Things that prove what she's capable of. Proof that she won't just dispose of you like that."

Link was quiet. She wasn't necessarily wrong. He desperately wanted to believe her; to have as much faith as she did. But even in that moment, he could feel the darkness hovering in his mind, ready to take over in an instant, threatening his entire existence. Still; they had one more trick in the bag. If Hylia really was on his side, the spring would be just the solution they needed. If they made it in time...

Link hadn't seen his father at all after he had stormed in the house. He knew from Aryll that he drove off shortly after, and no one seemed to have seen him since. So when morning came and they were preparing to leave, Link tried one last time to find him.

Rusl was lighting a cigarette when Link did find him, standing at the gate of the back pasture. He looked up briefly over his cupped hands to regard his son, then back at the ground as he returned the lighter to his pocket. He was busy destroying an ant hill with the toe of his boot when Link reached his side. He put his cigarette to his lips before he spoke.

"Heading out?"

"I guess so," Link said.

His brows furrowed and he sighed through his nose. "Do you remember when you broke your arm?" he asked after a moment.

Link watched as he continued to flatten the ant hill. "Barely."

Rusl smiled. He took a moment to inhale his cigarette. "It happened shortly after your mother died. Knocked yourself out cold." He flicked the tip and ash fell to the ground. "I never expected to win any father of the year awards, but I figured I was doing good if I could at least keep you alive." His brows furrowed again. "Two damn seconds I looked away and I thought you were dead." He glanced at Link. "Unfortunately, you didn't come with an instruction manual, and I was too stupid to know how do it alone." But he laughed lightly. "Dorian was around so much, I'm pretty sure people thought he was my husband."

"Like you could land a Sheikah," Link muttered.

"I don't even know how I landed your mother," he said. He inhaled his cigarette. "I swore to myself - I swore to you - that you'd have as normal a life as possible. But after that, I realized I couldn't avoid it. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't prevent your future. I couldn't even keep you safe when you decided to climb a damn tree. Unless I wrapped you up in bubble wrap and stuck you in a bunker underground, you were going to get yourself into trouble." He hesitated. "All I wanted to do was keep as much of the pressure off your shoulders as possible. I couldn't lock you away in a bunker, but I could at least prevent trouble from finding you. I at least owed you that." His voice softened regretfully. "But I looked away again. And this time, you won't walk away with a cast for Aryll to draw all over. You won't walk away from it at all."

Link shrugged. "Then I crawl."

Rusl glanced at him.

"Hell, Daruk and Revali will drag me out if it comes down to it. Either way, I'm getting out."

"You weren't so confident earlier."

"Yeah, well." He hesitated. "Can't let all your efforts go to waste."

Rusl dropped his cigarette and put it out with his toe. "I fucked up," he said. "It's my fault this happened."

"Shut up," Link growled. "It's no one's fault."

"I did everything -"

"I know!"

Rusl pressed his lips together and glanced at his son. He put a hand on his shoulder, then pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Kid."

Link wrapped his arms around his father. "Yeah. I… I love you, too." He sighed. "I'm coming back," he said in an attempt to reassure not only his father, but himself as well.

Rusl pushed away and squeezed his shoulder. He forced a smile. "Yeah. I know. I'll see you later, then."

They made their way back to the driveway where the others waited beside Daruk's SUV. Daruk was leaning against the driver's side door, shaking his keys impatiently.

"Let's go already," Revali sneered at Link.

"Shotgun," Link called as he made his way around the vehicle.

"Bitch," Revali muttered. He stepped after Link, freezing when Mipha gripped his arm.

"If you don't bring him back alive," she hissed. "I will kill you."

Revali pulled his arm out of her grip. "Yeah, I know," he grunted. "Don't worry, I won't put up a fight."

Mipha frowned. Her brows furrowed as she watched them climb into the vehicle, then they turned down the driveway and out of sight.

"So," Link started conversationally. "What's the plan when we get there?"

"Assuming we find it," Revali muttered.

"I'm not sure," Zelda admitted. "I don't exactly have experiencing cleansing the evil out of people."

"You'll be a pro after this," Link said.

"You," Revali sneered. "What's up with you? Why are you like this?"

Link glanced at him over his shoulder. "Like what?"

"You're…" Revali made a look of disgust. "Cheery."

"I'm sorry," Link started. "Would you like me to get pissed off and go Hulk on you and kill you?"

"I'd find that much more tolerable, yes," Revali said, folding his arms across his chest and turning his gaze out the window.

"So, we have no plan?" Daruk asked.

"Do we ever?" Zelda said with an exasperated sigh.

"And Paya didn't have any ideas?"

"No," Zelda started. "She doesn't even know where exactly the spring is."

"Impa must know."

"Perhaps," Zelda said. "But as it stands, I'm still not entirely sure who we can trust."

"Impa wouldn't be against us," Daruk said slowly. "Would she?"

Zelda sighed. "I don't know anymore." She paused. "Right now all we've got is ourselves. That's all we need."

"I beg to differ," Revali said. "It would actually be really great if we had more people on our side. An entire army of Sheikah would be swell." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, we don't," Zelda snapped. "Are you gonna keep bitching about it?"

"Yes," Revali said with a frank nod. "We could have a long trip ahead of us. I'm going to make you all miserable by complaining about this whole fucked up situation."

"Sounds about right," Link said. "You complained all through high school. Why should now be any different?"

"Watch it," Revali hissed. "I am not in a good mood. Would you like me to end your life now before we have a chance to get to the damn spring?"

"Jeez, what's got you?"

"Oh, I don't know," Revali said loudly. "Maybe the fact that you want me to just shoot you in the fucking face if this doesn't fix anything. And if it comes down to that, I have to go back there and deal with your crazy ass girlfriend who will kill me herself. So, I guess really, it's not so bad. At least I'll die before all the real shit goes down. Good luck to you fuckers, Link and I will be checked the fuck out."

"Oh," Link muttered. "Is that all?"

"This is nice," Daruk said. "Why don't we do this more often?"

"Why?" Revali hissed. "Why me of all damn people?"

"I'm sorry." Link rolled his eyes. "Who else was I supposed to ask?"

"Uh, how about Steroids? Or the bartender? I'm sure Dorian would get his rocks off ending your life. You know, assuming he's not working with the Yiga."

Link turned to Daruk. "Hey, man. If this goes down hill, will you do me the honor of blowing my head off?"

Daruk frowned. "Is that really the only option?"

"Someone's gotta do it!" Link barked.

They fell silent. Revali crossed his arms and turned his gaze back out the window.

"Remember when our road trips didn't involve murder?"

"I don't care who does it," Link muttered. "As long as it gets done. You can't let the Yiga win."

Zelda sighed loudly. "Anyone have any ideas on how to find this spring, anyway?"

"You're the reincarnation of the Goddess," Revali said, still sulking. "Shouldn't you know?"

"It's somewhere in Faron Woods," Zelda said through her teeth in an attempt to keep from snapping at him.

"Those are some big woods," Daruk said.

"Yeah," Revali started. "I'm pretty sure people used to call them the Lost Woods. I'm guessing there's a reason for that."

"Do people get lost?" Link asked dryly.

"It's sheer size isn't completely to blame for that," Zelda said. "There's belief that there's a power in those woods. I once read it was once the home to the Master Sword. Some even believe that in its depths, there's a secret entrance to another realm entirely."

"Sounds like people go in there and do a lot of drugs if you ask me," Revali said.

"It would make sense for the spring to be in there, somewhere," Zelda said, ignoring him.

"That still doesn't explain how we find it," Daruk said.

"I'm hoping Link or I will have an edge there," Zelda said. "A little hero intuition, maybe."

"Great," Revali said. "We'll die in there."

"Let's just get there," Zelda said. "We'll figure out the rest then."


	39. Chapter 39

It only took a couple of hours before they reached the edge of the Faron Woods. Daruk pulled the SUV off the road, following an overgrown dirt road as far as he could before it came to an abrupt end.

"Looks like we're walking from here on," Daruk said as he cut the engine. They left the vehicle on the dirt road and began the hike through the forest, though they really had no clue where they were going. But time was not on their side, and they couldn't waste any time trying to find the spring. Even Link had grown quiet by the time they reached the forest, another reminder of what little time they had left. His eyes had begun to darken slightly, and each step he took seemed to bring on a growing pain.

Zelda glanced over his shoulder at him as she lead the way through the forest. Daruk stayed at his side, his worried gaze on his friend, while Revali took up the rear, watching carefully, his expression a mix of fear and anger. She knew she could not rely on Link to help her find the spring, but as much as she tried, she couldn't find any clear sign that they were even remotely close. For all she knew, she was leading them in circles. She forced her breathing to steady, straining to try to hear something - anything that could have been a sign from the Goddess herself, but her mind was empty. No voice called to her like Hylia had done before. No spirit guided her through the forest. She could help but to panic as a sense of desperation washed over her.

Link wrestled against the darkness that threatened to creep into his mind as they wandered the forest. He knew too well how the darkness worked, now; it came on silently until it suddenly overwhelmed him. And the more it happened, the weaker he became, and the more the darkness taunted him. It came on slowly, yet surely, making him sick to his stomach and bringing along with it a pain that seemed to overcome every part of him. It seemed to move slower each time, as if enjoying the torture, and Link had no clue when it would take him over. All he knew was that he couldn't let it; he had to hang on just a little longer.

The forest seemed just as dark as his mind, despite the strong, warm light that broke through the cover of the trees. His body felt cold and numb, his knees barely able to hold his own weight until finally, he could move forward no more and he collapsed to his knees.

"Link!" Zelda tried to hurry to him, but Revali pulled her back.

The darkness flashed through him quickly, and just as it had done countless times before, it took over, his eyes flashing red.

"Shit," Daruk muttered.

"Take him out!" Revali barked. "I'm not killing him today!"

Link lunged at them, and in one, swift movement, Daruk sent a fist flying into him, knocking Link to the ground. A hiss escaped his throat as Link scrambled back to his feet.

"You held back," Revali said. "Idiot!" He pulled out the gun in his back pocket, and when Link lunged once more, he caught him long enough to slam the butt of the weapon against his skull, knocking him unconscious.

Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. "Fuck," she muttered. "Is he alright?"

Daruk threw his limp body over his shoulder, gritting his teeth together. "Hardly the worst thing to happen to him."

Revali pocketed the weapon as they moved forward once more. He shook his head. "There was a time when I would have enjoyed knocking him out. Dumbass."

"I'll tell him you said that," Zelda muttered.

"At least I can knock a guy out."

"I had to hold back!" Daruk barked. "I would have killed him."

"Hmph."

They continued on quietly, hardly uttering a word to one another. Their pace quickened, and soon, Zelda's eyes lit up as she felt a pulling sensation in her chest. It was just the sign she needed to tell her she was on the right track. The spring - it had to be close. She followed her instinct, stepping over fallen trees and rotted logs, and moving through brush until the entrance to the spring revealed itself; a mass of stone with the Triforce etched in deeply. It was barely discernible through the overgrown weeds and moss, but it was there nonetheless.

"How do we get in?" Daruk asked. He stepped closer, pausing only when the Triforce on Link's hand pulsed darkly.

"The hell does that mean?" Revali muttered.

"I got this," Zelda said, stepping forward. She moved passed Daruk, raising her own hand in the air. The Triforce on her hand - still pure - glowed brightly, and with a long rumble, the door rolled open before them. They stepped through carefully, the cool air immediately rushing them. The rays of the sun seemed to find their way into the spring, giving it light, but not warming the air. They stepped down into the cool, sparkling water and gazed upon the large Goddess statue that stood before them, seemingly bathed in the light of the sun.

"Now what?" Revali muttered.

Daruk lifted Link off of his shoulder with one hand and let him drop into the water, where he immediately awoke upon impact with a groan.

"Nice," Revali said with a grin.

But Link was still in his darkened state, and once he returned to his feet, his red eyes narrowed on them, and his lips pulled into a snarl. He lunged at them, but just as he did so, a bright, golden light shot forth from the Goddess statue, temporarily blinding them before plunging their world into complete and utter darkness.

The darkness swallowed him whole. He was alone in the emptiness. He spun on his heels, desperately searching for a way out, but he was trapped.

"No!" He shouted but could not hear his own voice. His heart raced and he dashed forward blindly. He ran and ran with no intent to stop. He would have kept running for all of eternity, but something pulled at him, slowing him. He fought against it, pulling his arms out of the grip of an invisible entity. He stumbled forward, but continued running once he regained his balance, stopping suddenly only when a bright figure appeared before him.

He gazed upon the woman as her features began to take shape. Her face was unmarked by age, yet something about her seemed very old, ancient even. Her smile was playful, her laughter and voice warm and comforting. He knew all of this before she even opened her mouth.

"You have done well to seek me out," Farore said. "Hylia expected your arrival." Her head cocked slightly, and she frowned. "But darkness clouds your soul. I fear there may be nothing I can do for you, now." She stepped forward and let her fingers brush against his forehead. Her lips pursed.

"There has to be something!"

It was then that Link realized he was not alone. He turned to see Zelda behind him, her brows knit together angrily.

"I'm afraid the darkness has completely taken over," Farore said. "It's too late for him."

"No!" Zelda barked. "Hylia would not give up like that."

"You're right," Farore said simply. "She wouldn't." Her face softened. "I promised her if there was anything I could do, I would fix it. While her power dwindles, she only has us to rely on. We will do anything for her and for all of Hyrule, but even these this is out of our control."

"No," Zelda pressed. "You can't -"

"Enough," Link growled. "It's too late. You knew this could happen."

Zelda stared blankly at him. Her heart started to race, and she had to hold back her tears. Her brows furrowed in determination as she regarded the Goddess before them once more. "What do I have to do?" she said. "Hylia can fix this."

"No," Farore said sternly. "Your Grace -"

"She can fix this!" Zelda snapped. "She said -"

"If you give yourself up to Hylia," Farore warned, her voice strong. "You will lose your power. You could lose your life."

"She is a part of me," Zelda said. She pulled her shoulders back. "My very existence is to serve her and protect Hyrule."

"Zelda," Link hissed.

"Enough! This is what must be done!"

A strong, golden light enveloped her suddenly, and Link ran forward, his arm outstretched towards her, shouting her name, but his voice seemed lost in the emptiness. Though he ran, he could not get close enough to her to stop her. Just when it seemed like she was just out of his reach, the golden light burst forth. He felt the force of it against his chest, knocking him off his feet. He tried to shield his eyes with his arm, but the light was much too bright. It overwhelmed them completely before suddenly snapping back to darkness.

Link stood alone in the darkness, though he sensed a presence behind him. He turned to see a familiar figure that he had only seen a couple times before. She was pure and, though her features seemed otherwise nonexistent to him, she was beautiful. The figure that stood before him was not the Goddess Farore, but Hylia herself.

She reached towards him, and without hesitation, Link took her hand.

"There is no such thing as a good or evil power," she spoke to him. "It only matters how we choose to use the power that was given to us. Your heart is pure, Hero. Your soul will never truly be darkened. Now go!" She released his hand and Link immediately felt himself fall. He fell and fell into a seemingly endless pit, but he did not feel fear, nor doubt. For the first time in his entire life, he felt at peace.

"What the fuck just happened?"

The light had subsided, and Daruk and Revali found Zelda and Link motionless on the ground. Daruk dropped to Zelda's side while Revali hurried to Link, though he hesitated as he neared, as if expecting him to jump up at any moment and attack him. But when he didn't so much as take a breath, Revali dropped to his knees and searched for a pulse.

"Daruk." Revali's voice raised in uneasy warning. "What the fuck, man? What's going on?"

"There's no pulse," Daruk hissed.

"Get the fuck up, Dude," Revali sneered at Link, as if he would hear. "Get up!"

He gasped for breath. His eyes blinked as the world came to, and he fought against rising nausea as his mind slowly came into focus. He practically yelped when he saw Revali hovering over him, much too close for comfort.

Revali breathed a visible sigh of relief before backing away slightly. "The fuck was that?"

Link hesitated, still trying to process all that had just happened. He turned his gaze to the back of his left hand where the Triforce was glowing, pulsing softly, before disappearing completely.

"Dude," Revali muttered.

But Link was hurrying to his feet, his eyes darting around until he found Daruk still kneeling beside Zelda. He ran to them as Zelda awoke suddenly, gasping for breath as she pushed herself up.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Link barked down at her.

Zelda sneered up at him. "You were going to give up!"

"You could have died!"

"What did we miss?" Revali muttered.

Link held his hard gaze on her. "What did you do?" he said through his teeth.

Zelda hesitated. She tore her gaze away.

"What did you do?" Link shouted at her.

"What the hell is going on?" Daruk hissed.

"She gave up her powers," Link sneered.

Zelda was looking down at her hand. She turned it over, then made a fist.

"You what?" Revali snapped.

"It was the only way," Zelda said softly.

"The only way for what?" Daruk asked.

"The only way to save him."

"I told you not to," Link growled.

"Hold up," Revali said, raising his hands. "You two were practically dead on the ground over here. Where the fuck do you think you were? Fucking Goddess land or some shit?"

"It doesn't matter." With Daruk's help, Zelda got to her feet.

But Link continued on. "You idiot. Now we have nothing!"

Zelda glanced at him. "What do you mean we have nothing?"

"Of the two of us, you were the only one with a damn chance to stop the Yiga."

Zelda stared at him, quiet for a moment. "You don't… you can't…"

"No!" Link shouted. "I don't have what you had! I can't do shit!"

"But," Zelda started, looking down at her feet. "Before… the Yiga…"

"It's gone," Link hissed. "You should have let me die."

Zelda shook her head. "No, Link."

"We don't stand a damn chance against the Yiga Clan," Link continued to yell at her. "You knew what needed to be done. Your the fucking queen; it's your damn job to keep Hyrule safe, and you just fucked everything up. You've sentenced everyone to their deaths."

"Link -"

"I asked you to do one fucking thing, Zelda, and you couldn't even do that!"

Zelda closed her eyes, a lump forming in her throat. "I'm -"

"There's nothing we can do, now. You let them win. You fucking -"

"Enough!" Revali's fist flew into Link's chest, sending him stumbling backwards with a loud grunt.

Link sneered at him, but Revali pulled his shoulders back, ready to attack again.

"What are you going to do about it?" Revali snapped. "You can't go Hulk on us anymore."

"Don't even get me started on you," Link hissed. "You should have killed me!"

Revali took the gun out from under his jacket and threw it on the ground. "Fuck you. Take your fucking gun and -" He stopped suddenly and bit his lip. Instead, he kicked the gun across the ground.

Link cursed loudly and kicked at the water of the spring.

"Alright," Daruk started. "Can everyone just calm the fuck down for two damn seconds so we can talk about this like normal people?"

"I'm sorry," Zelda said softly. She glanced toward Link. "But you do not get to ridicule me for choosing to save your fucking life."

"Yeah, well, you know what?" Link started. "I'm not in a position to be in anyone's debt."

Zelda smiled and averted his gaze. She shrugged. "Call it even."

"So, is it true?" Daruk asked carefully. "You don't have your power anymore?"

Zelda hung her head. "No," she admitted.

"Are you sure?" Revali pressed.

"Pretty sure."

"So, what?" Daruk pressed. "What does that mean?"

"It means we're going to get our asses kicked," Link said.

"We're not alone in this," Zelda said. "My father and Dorian - they were never expecting us to be able to handle this. We still have everyone - you guys, Urbosa, Paya. We'll have all the Sheikah, too."

"And, what?" Link sneered. "I'm supposed to hang back and watch?"

"Of course not," Zelda said.

"What do you think I can do?" Link narrowed his gaze on her.

"I don't know," she said. She met his gaze. "But this is you we're talking about. I'm sure you'll figure something out. You always do. Never miss out on anything." She offered him a smile, but he was not amused.

Revali sighed heavily. "Right," he started. "I guess all that's left is to take on the Yiga Clan. We have some planning to do."

"Look," Zelda said to Link as they made their way out of the spring. "What's done is done. Are you going to be pissed off and resent me forever?"

"Yes," Link said simply.

"I won't apologize for my choices," she said softly. She looked at her feet as they walked through the forest. "Too much depends on your survival. You're right; it's my job to protect this kingdom. And in doing so, you need to be alive."

"You could have done it without me," Link said.

"That's the thing," Zelda started. "No one can do this without you. We need you, Link. Aryll, and Mipha, and you father, and me… I know you think it's your job to put your life on the line for this kingdom, but that's where you're wrong. Heroes need to stay alive in order to do their job. Dying for this world will not save it. You need to be here to do that."

"You're really pulling at strings, now," Link muttered. "Because if I'm the one that was putting Hyrule at risk -"

"But you weren't," Zelda said. "You didn't. I told you I wouldn't let it come down to that, didn't I?"

Link sighed. "Zelda." He hesitated. "You let her act in your stead. You let her emotions get the best of you. She's not exactly unbiased when it comes to me."

Zelda's cheeks reddened and she turned her face away, her pace quickening slightly. "I acted on my own accord," she said. "To save a friend. To do what I thought was the best option for my kingdom. Simple as that."


	40. Chapter 40

It was late when they returned to the ranch. Aryll hurried to the window when she heard the sound of an engine coming down the dirt driveway. With a yelp, she ran to the front door and hurried off the porch and outside with the others following close behind. She stopped, her heart racing, as the SUV pulled to a stop. She watched as her brother stepped out of the passenger side. He was rolling his eyes and firing back at Revali, who stepped out from behind him, but he was cut short when Aryll threw herself against him.

"You're welcome," Revali said smugly as he walked by. "Revali saves the day once again."

Link slouched slightly, too tired to argue, or do much of anything, really. He was exhausted from the trip. Not only that, he couldn't even remember the last time he good anything close to a decent night's sleep. The last few weeks were such a blur, he could have slept for a hundred years. He yawned loudly and wrapped his arms lazily around Aryll. His gaze moved to his father, standing near the barn with his hands in his pockets, and he offered him a tired, reassuring smile. When Mipha stepped forward, he turned his attention to her. For the first time in what felt like a long time, he didn't feel afraid to be near her.

"What happened?" Aryll asked, looking up at him. "Are you better?"

Link shrugged as another yawn escaped its hold. "Guess so."

Aryll frowned. Her eyes narrowed on her brother. "You guess so?"

"Can we talk about it in the morning?"

Aryll rolled her eyes but didn't argue with him. She reached for Mipha, pulling her into their hug. Link allowed himself to lean against them slightly and sighed.

For the first time in a long time, Link slept through the entire night – even late into the morning – without any trouble. It was near noon when he finally rolled out of the bed, still groggy. He trudged through the old farm house, following the voices he heard downstairs and into the kitchen. He hesitated around the corner, listening in.

"Hyrule's army won't stand a chance against the Yiga Clan," Paya's voice said. "This needs to be handled delicately as with Ganondorf and his army."

"It would be nice to go into this with some kind of back up," Revali said.

"As far as my father is concerned," Zelda started, "we are traitors. He won't help us."

"He won't abandon you," Mipha said. "You're his daughter."

"As long as I'm on Link's side," Zelda said. She hesitated. "He doesn't trust Link."

"We don't need him," Riju said. "We've done this before without him, we can do it again."

"We?" Urbosa echoed.

"Yeah!" Riju said. "We!"

"We don't even know how many of them there are," Daruk said. "We may not stand a chance."

"We didn't stand a chance before," Revali said. "That's the thing about superheroes. They beat all odds."

"Except we're not superheroes," Daruk reminded him.

"I beg to differ. You don't get super powers and not call yourself a superhero."

"Link doesn't have a superpower," Riju said.

"You're right," Revali said. "Which means we all need to work extra hard to protect his lame ass."

"You shouldn't have gotten rid of Dark Link. At least he was good for something."

"Yeah," Revali said. "He would have kicked our asses."

Riju shrugged. "I like a challenge."

Link looked down the hallway as footsteps approached. Aryll rounded the corner, stretching her arms over her head. She smiled when she saw Link, then hesitated when she saw him against the wall. She cocked her head to the side and leaned against the wall beside him. She searched his face, but he was staring hard at his bare feet.

"So," Daruk started. "It sounds like either way, we're screwed. We'll be severely outnumbered with no back up."

"I'll talk to Grandmother," Paya said. "She won't abandon us. Neither will King Roham. I'm sure of it."

"I wish I had your confidence," Zelda muttered. "He's disowned me."

"What's he going to do?" Revali said. "Lock us up if we show our faces?"

"Probably. He can be petty like that."

"I'll show 'im," Riju said. "He'll think twice about messing with me!"

"Threaten him," Urbosa warned, "and you'll definitely never see the light of day again."

"Hmph."

"So," Mipha started. "What do we do?"

The room was quiet. Aryll slouched against the wall, frowning. She sighed, then pushed passed Link and walked into the kitchen.

"You kick Yiga ass! Isn't that what you guys do? Fight the bad guys?" She crossed her arms. "That's what superheroes would do." She made her way to the coffee machine and pulled a cup out of the cupboard.

"That's what I've been saying!" Riju said. She moved towards Aryll, peering over her shoulder. "Hey, make me some!"

"Make your own!" Aryll shoved her aside with her hip.

"Come on," Riju whined. "I got stuck sleeping on that awful couch."

"Riju," Urbosa warned. "This isn't a hotel. Be grateful Talon is letting us stay here."

"Hmph."

Link dared to step around the corner and into the kitchen, yawning loudly. He ignored his friends as he strode to the refrigerator in hopes of quieting his growling stomach. He opened the door and peered inside for a long moment.

"You could at least put a shirt on," Daruk said.

Link shrugged. "But then you won't be able to appreciate all of this."

Riju skipped to his side and joined him at peering into the fridge. "I could still kick your ass."

"Probably," he said with a nod. "We can't all have superpowers." He straightened and closed the door, an apple in hand.

"Oh?" Riju crossed her arms. "Spying on us?"

"Nope," he said as he bit into the apple. He looked around the kitchen, noticing then a few missing faces.

"Where's Kit?" he asked.

Revali shrugged. "I dunno," he started. "Said something about checking in on the bar, stocking up, and something about some Sera chick."

Link chewed thoughtfully. He was sure he'd get an earful from Sera whenever they made it back to the city.

"Where's Dad?" Aryll asked his other question.

"Car's gone," Daruk said. "Guessing he took off last night."

Link raised a brow. "What for?"

"We thought you'd know," Urbosa said.

Link hesitated. He took another bite of his apple. "Uh-uh."

"Excellent," Revali muttered.

"We need to start planning our attack on the Yiga," Zelda said.

"We don't stand a chance on our own," Urbosa said, shaking her head. "We'll be walking right into our deaths."

"Let me go into the city," Paya said, turning to Zelda. "I'm sure we can get the help of the Sheikah. If Dorian is true to his word, he will back us up."

Zelda hesitated. "And if not?"

As if in answer to her doubts, the sound of tires on the dirt drive caught their attention. From somewhere in the house, Talon cocked his rifle.

"Are ya'll 'spectin' company?" he asked in a wary voice.

The Champions hurried outside, watching as a convoy of black vehicles made their way up the dirt road and turned into the drive. They pulled in one by one, lining up side by side, filling the driveway and spilling out onto the sides of the road.

Link watched carefully as the doors opened to the vehicles, and Hyrulean and Sheikah soldiers spilled out around the vehicles. In the front, three more men stepped out, dressed in similar uniforms. A bullet proof vest protected Teba. One hand rested on the butt of the gun on his hip, while the other was tucked into the pocket of his pants. He slouched enough to show an appearance of his usual, casual disinterest, yet his eyes were fierce with determination. Rusl lacked the bullet proof vest, but was equally equipped with weapons on his body. He brought a cigarette away from his lips with a smug grin and flicked the ash to the ground. Dorian stood beside him, his arms crossed, and he regarded his friend with a look of only slight annoyance.

"Well, shit," Daruk said.

Link narrowed his gaze on his father. "What's this?"

"An army," he said proudly. "You lot sure as shit can't do this with just the few of you."

Link raised a questionable brow. "Roham just let you take his men?"

"Goddesses, no," Rusl said with a laugh, then shrugged. "But we didn't bother ask." He gestured with his chin toward Teba. "Those are Teba's guys. They're on team Zelda." He then gestured to Dorian. "Dorian's guys. Also team Zelda." He stepped aside, then turned to look over the men that stood behind him. "Those are my boys."

"How does a dead guy get the biggest team?" Revali asked.

"I know people," Rusl said simply. "And people like a good back from the dead story."

"And you know, I gave his son stolen blackmarket weapons," Jini said, stepping forward. "It was this, or do more time behind damn bars."

At that moment, the air snapped, and Impa and Purah appeared before the convoy. Impa held what looked to be brown pieces of material in her arms. They seemed to be mid-argument when they appeared, but Purah stopped abruptly as her gaze landed on Link. The old Sheikah squealed with delight, then waved off her sister as she made her way to Link.

"I can't believe you were keeping this good looking man from me," she said. She stopped in front of him and reached up to pinch his cheeks. She stood on her tiptoes and looked passed him, smiling at Rusl over her shoulder. "He's almost as handsome as you, Russy-boy."

"How dare you compare us," Rusl said. "You said I was your favorite."

"Oh, Russy," Purah said. She grinned widely. "You've been trying to get with me for years."

"That's weird," Revali muttered.

Purah patted Link's cheek. "You might have a chance if you play your cards right."

Link looked to Impa helplessly. Impa sighed and pressed a finger to her temple. "Please leave him alone."

Purah moved her hands to pull at his ears and giggled. "That's some strong Hylian bloodline. She picked a good one."

"That's debatable," Impa muttered.

Purah waved her younger sister off with a hand. "It was probably for the best," Purah said, stepping away to look him over. "Impa has that tough love thing going on. I would have coddled you."

"She beat me with a stick," Link muttered.

Purah grinned. "That's so Impa. I see why she likes you."

"I don't think she does," Link said slowly. He met Impa's gaze and the old Sheikah grinned.

"Atta boy," she said simply.

Purah put her hands on her hips and smiled. "Well, enough chit-chat, then. Looks like everyone's all here. It's time to put this plan into motion."

"There's a plan?" Daruk asked.

"Of course there's a plan," Purah said. "Haven't you fought a war before?"

"Yes," Revali sneered. "By our damn selves."

"That's not true," Impa hissed.

"It didn't seem likely we'd have anyone on our side," Urbosa said.

"Oh, come now," Purah said, waving them off with a hand. "You always have the Sheikah on your side." She turned and narrowed her gaze on Impa and Dorian.

"Even if it seems like they're against you at times."

"Purah," Impa warned.

Purah ignored her and turned her attention back to the Champions. "Impa and I work very differently. Regardless." She moved her arm to the side, gesturing to the team behind her. "You're not alone in this fight. In fact, I've been doing a little extra research myself, and I think I found just the thing to give you an edge." She pulled the Sheikah Slate out from under her jacket and waved it in the air.

"That's the Sheikah Slate," Zelda said.

"See - it does a lot more than activate shrines."

"My daughters have uncovered the four Divine Beasts that were used thousands of years ago," Dorian explained.

Purah's fingers flew across the screen of the slate. "They were used against the Great Calamity. Robbie has been able to activate them with the Sheikah Slate. You will be able to use them to easily take out the Yiga Clan's hideout."

"The Divine Beasts," Urbosa mumbled. "They're still functioning?"

"You know of them?" Mipha asked.

"Just legends," Urbosa said.

"We'll need each of you Champions to man one of these machines," Purah continued. "The Sheikah can get you each to your respective Divine Beasts to blow up the Yiga Clan hideout, then back in a flash to finish them off." She looked up at them, her shoulders pulled back, and smiled. "Questions, comments, complaints, grievances, or anything else I don't care about?"

"Yeah," Daruk said with a grunt. "We need a raise."

"I'm afraid I can't offer that," Pura started. "But I did come with a plan, didn't I? And a team?"

"We brought the team," Rusl said.

But Purah ignored him. "And, I didn't come without gifts." She took the brown pieces of material from Impa's arms. "Take these." She threw them at each of them and, upon opening them, Link realized they were long cloaks.

"Oh, swell," he said with false enthusiasm. "These will be so useful to us in that wasteland of a desert where it's going to be so damn cold."

Impa did not hesitate to smack him upside the head. "Boy, I'da killed you a long time ago if I could have," she snarled at him. "Don't test me."

Urbosa frowned at the cloak. "These are the least fashionable things I've ever seen."

"Fine," Impa said with a grunt. "Die out there." She turned away from them and sucked in a deep breath. "You will not be able to fight off the heat of the desert," she attempted to explain to them. "That being said, you will not stand a chance in the cold nights, either."

Purah grinned and anxiously offered to finish explaining for Impa. "Listen up, Linky boy. Those cloaks have been reinforced with Sheikah magic and will keep you cool during the day, and warm at night. Without it, you will freeze to death on the first night." She leaned in toward him. "And we definitely don't want that to happen. Because you're just too cute to die!"

Link hesitated, blinking blankly at her. "Thank… you?"

"I'm going to go ahead and assume you expect us to walk that damned desert," Revali said.

"Of course," Impa said. She turned back to face the group. "The outskirts of the desert is one thing, but nothing will survive the sandstorms in the wastelands."

"Us included," Daruk muttered.

"I suppose the army may have some nice equipment that you could borrow," Purah started, but she shook her head. "but you'll only draw more attention to yourselves." She shook her head. "Your safest bet is to go on foot."

"Urbosa, Revali, Daruk, Mipha; you will each man one of the Divine Beasts, while Link and Zelda make their way to the Yiga Clan. On Teba's command, you will each use the control panels on the Divine Beasts to fire at their hideout. The Sheikah there will be able to assist you and get you back to the desert to join the fight."

"What about Thing One and Thing Two?" Revali threw his thumb toward Link and Zelda. "You're leaving them powerless." His brows furrowed. "No offense, but you'll both just get in the way."

Zelda hesitated. "We're not staying behind."

"They will have the Sheikah with them," Purah said. "They will be safe until you all return."

"Your power is not gone, Zelda," Impa said. She patted the back of her hand. "The Triforce is still a part of you, even though Hylia used all of its energy. You are Hylian, and like all Hylian's, that power sleeps inside of you. You've always had the power of the Triforce to enhance your abilities, but they are still there, as they are in all Hylians." She smiled. "You just have to work a little harder to find that power and bring it out."

"What about Link?" Riju chimed in. "Does he have it, too?"

Impa hesitated. She met Link's gaze and her eyes narrowed on him. "He's too stupid to be able to access any power he might have." She turned her back on them. "While all Hylians have the power, that doesn't mean they have the ability to bring it forth." She met Rusl's hard gaze.

"Always a loser," Revali said. He turned to Link with a smug grin.

"Bite me," Link muttered.

Impa turned back to the Champions. "Prepare yourselves. You'll set out tonight." She smiled. "May Hylia keep your sorry asses from frying."


	41. Chapter 41

When night fell, Dorian's daughters, Cottla and Koko were the final two to join the team of heroes. Much like Impa and Purah, they seemed to be mid-argument when they appeared suddenly before them, but they cast their chatter aside when their gazes fell upon Link.

"Look who it is," Cottla said cheerfully. She strode over to Link and pinched his cheek. "Little Linky." She flicked his ear. "Looks like you didn't turn out half bad afterall."

"Cottla," Koko warned.

Link rubbed his ear and frowned. "I thought I got rid of you."

Cottla put her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side. "Miss me?"

"No."

"Aw, yes you did," she said, rustling his hair with her hand. "But I missed Aryll more. Did you ruin her like we all thought you would?"

"Yes," Link muttered. "She's just as weird as you."

"Hey," Aryll snapped at him. "Screw you, man." Her gaze turned to the two Sheikah with a raised brow. "Who are they?"

"It's been too long," Cottla said.

"Not long enough," Link muttered.

Cottla ignored him. "Koko and I used to take care of you all the time when you were a baby." She glanced at Rusl over her shoulder and grinned. "Because the men in your life were way too incapable to handle a baby."

"Oh." Aryll paused as she tried to recall them, but nothing came to mind. She shrugged. "Well, I guess I owe you my thanks for keeping me alive. Why'd you stop coming around? I could have used you for a lot longer, you know."

Cottla grinned and folded her arms across her chest and straightened. "We've been keeping pretty busy, you know. Doing Sheikah things."

Koko stepped forward and thrust a thumb over her shoulder. "Dad's had us doing everything else but actually fighting in this damn war," she said.

"Dads, right?" Aryll said. "Mine faked his death." She grinned at her father, who gave her an exasperated look. He was never going to live that down.

"Don't worry," Koko started, sneering at her own father over her shoulder. "We've been kept in the dark, too." She turned back to Link and offered him a smile. "But we weren't standing around doing nothing. We've been helping Robbie prepare the Divine Beasts for ya'll. They're in tip-top shape and ready to demolish a Yiga Clan hideout!"

"And we're assigning team captains," Cottla exclaimed. She looked the Champions over carefully for a moment, then one by one, selected the teams.

"The hot one," she started, pointing at Revali first.

"Here we go," Urbosa muttered.

Revali narrowed his eyes at her. "How old are you? I can never tell with you Sheikah."

"Hey," Cottla barked. "Rude! I'm not like a hundred years old!"

Revali shrugged. "Just deciding if there's gonna be a thing here."

"I'll kill you," Dorian sneered.

Revali put his hands in the air. "Right, right. Almost forgot your dad's crazy."

Cottla grinned. "You get Vah Medoh."

"Vah-what?"

"Vah Medoh," Koko said. "The Divine Beast."

"They have names?" Daruk asked with a raised brow.

Cottla continued. "Vah Medoh with Koko."

Revali shrugged in response, and Cottla chose her next target.

"The other hot one." She pointed to Urbosa.

"Urbosa," she said dryly.

"Vah Naboris with me."

Revali wiggled his eyebrows at Urbosa, and she rolled her eyes.

"Muscles." Cottla pointed at Daruk. "You're on Vah Rudania with Purah." She turned to Mipha and smiled. "That leaves you, Red, with Impa and Vah Ruta."

"Red?" Mipha said quietly.

"Because you have red hair," Revali said in an obvious tone.

"She's so clever with her nicknames," Aryll said with a roll of her eyes.

"We good, then?" Cottla said, her hands on her hips.

"What exactly are we supposed to be doing with these Divine Beast things?" Daruk asked.

"We'll show you," Koko said. "We all know how to control the Divine Beats. And we're each getting a team of Sheikah to assist us."

"That's that, then," Cottla said, clapping her hands together. She turned on her heels and saluted her father. "Move 'em out."

Dorian sighed, and Rusl grinned.

"Don't ever change," Rusl said.

Cottla winked at him. "Finally, some real action!"

Dorian barked his orders, and soon the teams were split. The Champions glanced hesitantly at each other one last time before one by one, the teams disappeared with four loud cracks, leaving Zelda and Link with the rest of their makeshift army.

"This is weird," Zelda said. "I don't think we've ever been split like this before."

"They'll be fine," Dorian assured her. "They've got a lot more going for them than the two of you right now."

"He's right," Aryll said, crossing her arms. "What do you think you're gonna do against a bunch of Yiga?"

"Kick their asses," Link said.

Aryll frowned. "You can't do shit."

Link pressed a finger against her nose and smiled. "Watch me."

Aryll's nose wrinkled and her brows furrowed angrily. "You're an idiot," she sneered. She turned her gaze to her father. "You both are!"

"Well, it's worked out so far," Rusl said with a shrug.

Aryll sighed and wrapped her arms around her brother. "Whatever. Just come back."

Link hugged her back. "I always do."

He pulled away, and Aryll watched as he joined Zelda with the rest of their army. She turned her gaze to her father as he approached.

"Behave," he said simply.

Aryll rolled her eyes. "You're stupid," she said, her voice cracking slightly.

Rusl hugged his daughter. "I love you."

Aryll let her head rest against him. "I love you too, Dad."

"Don't you worry," Riju said, pulling her shoulders back. "I'll babysit - again!"

Rusl winked at Riju. "I know she's safe with you."

Aryll wiped at her eyes when he pulled away, and when they were gathered together, the air snapped, and they were gone.

When the world snapped back into focus, they were standing in the vast desert. Though it was late in the night, the sky was clear, offering them the light of the large, full mood to guide their way. A cold breeze blew around them, and they pulled their cloaks over their heads. Just as Impa had promised, the cloaks offered protection from the cold night. Within a few hours, they would soon see if it held up against the heat of the desert during the daytime hours.

There were a handful of other Sheikah already there when they appeared, as if waiting for their arrival. Dorian moved to them quickly, their voices low as they spoke to one another. When they were finished, Dorian nodded to them, and they disappeared in a snap. Dorian turned back to Zelda and Link.

"It seems the Yiga are not yet aware of our approach," he said to them. "However, they are aware of the activation of the Divine Beasts, and many of them have been dispatched to stop the attack."

"How do they know?" Zelda asked.

"They're just aware of the Divine Beasts as we are," Dorian said. "That's why they've had the Sheikah Slate in their possession; to keep you from gaining control of the machines. Naturally, after the slate went missing, they sought out the Divine Beasts. We were able to get them activated before the Yiga could stop us, but now they may be there waiting for the Champions. I have no doubt that they will be able to take care of the Yiga, though. Only a handful have been dispersed to each of the Divine Beasts. You've dealt a lot of damage to their forces already. They cannot afford to thin their army here any further. But that being said, they will be searching for any sign of us, and they will be ready for us. My men are doing everything they can to keep an eye out for them and will alert us to any movements they make."

"This is nice," Link said. "Having someone else do all the planning for once."

"Better than any planning you've ever done," Rusl said.

"That's kinda my thing," Link said. "I just wing it and hope for the best."

"Let's get going, then," Zelda said. "We might have a very long walk ahead of us."

The night was uneventful as they moved seemingly undetected across the large desert. While they had a general idea of where the Yiga Clan hideout was and what direction to go in, it was impossible to tell just how far out they were, with no path or landmark to show the way. They walked through the night, stopping only once just before dawn to rest in the protection of the darkness.

When the sun rose over the horizon, it brought along with it a scorching heat that their cloaks easily warded off, thanks to Impa's magic. They stood atop one of the dunes, pausing for a moment to take in their surroundings. The desert seemed endless. The yellow sands of the desert blurred into the pale blue sky, the horizon line barely discernible in the wave of the heat. The barren landscape offered nothing to them; not even a trace of the Yiga Clan hideout. The heat of the sun seemed to bounce off the desert sands, intensifying immensely, but their cloaks continued to offer unexplainable protection, and they didn't feel nearly as hot as they should have.

As a whole, they were relatively quiet as they walked through the day. The Sheikah occasionally spoke amongst themselves, and Link, Zelda, and Teba partook in their own casual chit chat. Dorian and Rusl, however, had somehow ended up at the front of the group, and from the looks of it, were too deep into their own conversation to seem to even remember that they were about to start a war on Hyrule's biggest enemy.

Link watched them as they journeyed, noticing how varied their interactions were. In one moment, they seemed to be in a secret, serious discussion. But the next moment, Rusl was laughing, even obnoxiously as he teased Dorian at times, and to Link's surprise, a small smile split Dorian's otherwise stone cold face. Dorian turned to Rusl, saying something further, and Rusl grinned widely. He looked over his shoulder briefly at Link, then turned back to Dorian. His grin disappeared as Dorian spoke again, and they were seemingly back to a serious discussion. Though they were a ways ahead, Link strained to listen in. Their voices rose as their argument turned more heated.

"We already discussed this," Rusl said through his teeth. "There's no other way."

"It might not need to come down to that, anyway," Dorian said. "You're rushing to conclusions."

"I'm considering the worst possible scenario."

"You're not considering it. You're acting on it."

Rusl stopped walking, and Dorian turned to face him.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Rusl hissed.

Dorian hesitated, then glanced in the direction of Link. His brows furrowed, and with a wave of his hand, they disappeared.

Rusl was still glaring at him, unfazed at their sudden transportation. Their surroundings, however, seemed to have gone unchanged; just another area in the vast desert. The only difference was that they were far away from anyone hearing their discussion.

"You're supposed to survive!" Dorian barked.

"Look," Rusl started. "You're supposed to be on my side."

"I'm on the side where you live."

"You know that can't happen."

"You don't know what will happen." Dorian's voice softened. "We could just as well be able to take care of this without him."

"Perhaps," Rusl said. "But if not, you know as well as I that this is what needs to be done. And I will do it."

"The difference is that you've already planned to throw your life away."

"I'm prepared for the worst."

"What you need to do is stay alive. They already lost you once. You can't do that to them again. You can't do that to me." His brows furrowed. "Don't you think we've all lost enough?"

Rusl pulled his gaze away. "Nothing would change," he said. "If not now, I would have done it then. For Carissa. For Kahli. For Koko and Cottla." He glanced back at Dorian, but his expression was torn. "Come on, D," Rusl muttered. "Don't give me that look. I'm not dead yet."

Dorian's gaze hardened. "I hate you."

Rusl grinned. "No, you don't." He pushed Dorian's shoulder. "Come on. Is that what you're last words are going to be to me?"

"Yes."

"You're a stubborn, tight ass son of a bitch, you know that?"

"I've hated you since the day I was forced to work with you."

"I love you too, D."

"Shut up."

Rusl spread his arms, gesturing with his fingers. "Bring in it, man.

Dorian shook his head, but he stepped forward regardless and hugged his friend.

"If Kohga doesn't kill you," Dorian started. "I will."

Rusl smiled. "Yeah, I know."

Dorian pulled away quickly, stiffening. "Yiga."

The air snapped as Dorian brought them back, and Rusl saw then that the Yiga had them surrounded.

"Rusl!"

Rusl was pushed back suddenly. When he landed on the ground, he hurried for the blade at his side, but when he looked up, Dorian was in front of him, his power knocking the Yiga that had sprung up backward. But just as quickly, two more sprung up, and though Rusl jumped to Dorian's defense, the blade of the second Yiga still clipped Dorian's side before he sprung back and disappeared again.

"D!"

"I'm fine," Dorian muttered as his hand moved to his side, and he quickly began to heal himself.

"Don't even try to save my life," Rusl hissed at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Dorian said. "Just stay out of the way." The air snapped, and he disappeared.

"What did you do?"

Rusl's gaze turned to Link as he stood before him. His hand hovered over the gun at his side.

"Nothing," Rusl said through his teeth.

"You two disappear and we get ambushed," Link hissed. "That's not nothing!"

Rusl held his composure as he regarded his son. "You think I did this?"

Link hesitated, holding his gaze on his father. His hand moved to the blade on his hip, and he lunged at him.

Rusl was quick to block the blow, pushing back against Link and causing him to stumble backwards. Link regained his footing, jumping to the side as his father pressed in to attack with his own dagger. He swung his leg around, momentarily tripping Rusl and catching his arm, pulling him forward and bringing his blade down in the process. Rusl pulled back, narrowly missing Link's attack, but Link did not hesitate to throw his fist toward him.

Rusl caught his fist and twisted his wrist, throwing him backwards once more and charging at Link with his blade again. Link blocked the attack with his blade, pushing forcefully against Rusl, then swinging the blade around to dislodge him. He ducked as Rusl swung the blade back around, and as he rolled out of the way, he grabbed his gun from his holster, spinning around to point it at his father. He stopped suddenly as Rusl, too, had his own gun pointed at Link.

They breathed heavily, but neither moved any further as they stared each other down. It was Rusl who spoke first, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Do it," he said. "Kill me."

Link's gaze hardened on him. "What's stopping you?"

Rusl's expression softened. He hesitated as he regarded his son. His arm lowered, and he let the clip drop from the gun. Link watched as it fell to the ground, then turned his gaze back to his father. His arm lowered slightly, but he did not give up so easily.

"Don't you think if I wanted to kill you I would have done it by now?" Rusl said. "For the love of Hylia, I know you have trust issues, but make up your fucking mind."

"What the hell am I supposed to think?" Link said. "I don't even know who you are."

"I'm your father," Rusl snapped. "Alright? Nothing has fucking changed."

Link held his gaze on him. Rusl's expression softened and he pulled his gaze away. He looked over the desert where the war had already begun just below them.

"I'm sorry," Rusl said. "For everything. I've made mistakes. And I know you have no reason to trust me. But everything I did was for you and Aryll. Everything." His expression hardened. "Not for the sake of some damned destiny." He hesitated. "You and Aryll… you weren't mistakes. For the love of Hylia, you were all that kept me going. And I wouldn't change any of it. Not if it meant losing you both." Het met Link's gaze once more, his brows knit together, hardening his expression. "You have enough damn sense to know what you need to do. And if that means you don't trust me, then so be it. I haven't exactly done anything to earn it." His gaze softened again.

Link pulled his gaze away. "Why are you saying this?"

Rusl smiled. "Just in case a damn Yiga finally kills me," he said. "I want you to know I'm proud of you. And I'm sorry things ended up this way."

"I'm going to kill you before a Yiga does," Link muttered. "You're really trying my patience."

Rusl grinned. "Yeah. Dorian might beat you to that, though."

Link glanced at his father, then at the war raging below them as Sheikah and Yiga soldiers clashed together. The air snapped, and Dorian appeared once more with Zelda and Teba. Teba was shouting into his radio for the other Champions, but there was no response from anyone.

Teba's face whitened as he stared at the radio. "Do it! Now!"

Link's heart dropped as he turned his gaze to the sky, waiting for a sign of the Divine Beasts to prove that his friends were still alive.


	42. Chapter 42

Urbosa stood atop her Divine Beast, Naboris, looking out over the desert beside Cottla. Cottla pointed a finger in the direction toward the Yiga Clan hideout, and a wicked grin split her face.

"You bitches are going down," she said. She put her hands on her hips proudly. "They won't even see it coming!"

"Let's hope not," Urbosa said.

Cottla smiled. "It's kind of an honor to be able to see something that was once used to defend our world." She turned to Urbosa. "I wonder what they were like? The heroes from generations past."

"Something tells me they were better cut out for the job," Urbosa said.

Cottla's grin widened. "I have complete faith in you all," she said. "I've known Link a long time. He's a hero, alright." She flipped the radio in her hand, bringing it to her ear quickly as it crackled to life. She strained to listen to the voice on the other end, but the Sheikah that guarded them were quick to react, throwing up their defenses as Yiga Clan soldiers lunged at them out of thin air.

"Urbosa!"

Urbosa snapped her fingers, her powerful strikes of lightning striking the around them.

Cottla shouted into the radio. "We're under attack!"

Teba's voice came through clearly after a moment. "Now! Do it now!"

Urbosa slammed her hand against the controls and the Divine Beast began to tremble. The Sheikah continued to stave off the attacking Yiga's, keeping Urbosa and Riju in their protective barrier as Naboris began to pull in energy before releasing a mighty blast toward the Yiga Clan base.

"This thing's a piece of junk," Revali said as he peered at the controls. "I mean, sure, it may have been advanced technology back in the day, and yeah, it's intimidating as shit." He crossed his arms. "But what's it got on a couple of nukes, anyway? We'd be far better off."

"I've heard legends of the ones who once manned these machines," Koko said. "From Impa." Her lips pulled into a smile. "The one who controlled Vah Medoh, here, reminds me of you."

Revali raised a brow. "How so?"

"He was an arrogant asshole who hated the Chosen Hero."

Revali smiled. "Maybe we're related," he said with a grin. "But I wouldn't go so far to say I hate Link. I tolerate him."

Koko tensed, throwing up a protective barrier as Yiga soldiers appeared out of thin air, lunging at them.

"Shit," Revali spat. He listened to the radio as Cottla's panicked voice came through. Soon after, Teba's command rang loud and clear, and Revali threw himself at the control panel to launch the attack as Purah had explained to them.

Vah Medoh was not nearly as close to Gerudo Desert as he had hoped to get it, but it would had to be close enough. The Divine Beast perched itself on the edge of a canyon, the engines roaring as it gathered in energy, and in a flash, it launched it's deadly attack.

Mipha watched as the trunk of her Divine Beast, Vah Ruta, moved up and down, water shooting into the air. She cocked her head and smiled as it responded to her touch. "It really is incredible," she said to Imap, who stood at her side. "To think these machines were onced used to save our kingdom. And the ones who controlled them… I wonder what they were like?"

Impa smiled. "I see a lot of them in all of you," she said. "I suppose Hylia has a way of finding the traits of heroes in others, no matter what generation they are."

Mipha turned her gaze to Impa. "And how many generation of heroes have you seen?"

"There's nothing that gets by you," Impa said. She looked out over the horizon. "In this body, only this one. But my spirit has seen countless." She smiled. "It's a funny feeling," she continued. "Seeing the reincarnations of the heroes present themselves every time. I can't help but to remember their first reincarnations. It's like seeing a dear friend whom you haven't seen for a very long time."

Mipha's smile faded after a moment. "Yet, they don't remember you."

"I believe a part of them does," Impa said. "In some way. Afterall; the spirit of Hylia and her Chosen Hero live on in them. Even they must feel a sense of recognition and familiarity towards one another at times."

Mipha's brows furrowed. "They do?"

But Impa did not have a chance to speak further as the Sheikah around her sprang into action, quickly fending off a surprise attack from the Yiga soldiers.

"Quickly!" Impa barked at Mipha. "To the controls!"

Mipha hurried to the control panel as the radio nearby crackled to life. She could barely hear over the sounds of the fighting, but Teba's voice rang through loud and clear. "Do it now!"

Vah Ruta's engines whirled as it positioned itself, facing toward the Yiga Clan hideout. It gathered in energy, then shot its attack towards the enemy base.

Daruk looked out over the mountain range where Vah Rudania was perched. Even as far up as they were, Hyrule seemed to stretch on endlessly. There was no sign of the southern desert, and his brows furrowed.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked Purah. "I mean, we can't even see the desert. We're hundreds of miles away."

Purah put a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes. "You know, I'm smarter than I look," she said. "Trust me, this will work."

"And if it doesn't?"

Purah sneered at him, leaning forward with both hands on her hips. "It will work!" She straightened and crossed her arms. "It worked last time."

"That was thousands of years ago," Daruk muttered.

Purah waved him off with her hand. "Never doubt the abilities of a Sheikah."

"I don't," Daruk started. "But I do doubt the reliability of a machine that has been sitting around, undetected, for thousands of years."

"That's still a doubt on Sheikahs," Purah said. "We don't make things that break so easily." She turned to the radio as it crackled to life. Urbosa's voice came through first.

"What?" Daruk hissed. "They're under attack?"

"Get ready," Purah barked at him. "We're firing on all cylinders whether we get Teba's command or not."

"I don't -" But he was cut off by Teba's voice. Without hesitation, Daruk slammed a fist on the control panel, and the Divine Beast roared to life, gathering in energy before firing off toward the horizon.

One after another, the Divine Beast shot their deadly blasts, dragging four red tails behind them as they fired at the Yiga Clan hideout. Though the hideout was hidden in the valley just at the edge of the desert, Link could clearly see the eruption from the blast. Smoke, sand, and debris clouded the area around the hideout, and at their distance, they could even feel the tremor from the attack as it stretched across the desert just ahead of the sound of the blast.

Just moments after the blast subsided, the air snapped as one by one, the Champions returned. After a moment of taking in their surroundings, they turned their gazes to the blast where a cloud of sand still hung over the valley.

"Bullseye," Revali said. He brushed his hands together. "Champs: one. Yiga: zip." He turned his gaze to Link. "What are you hanging around here for?" He grinned.

"Oh. Right. Silly me." And in another snap, he was gone, only to appear in an instant on the battlefield below, bow drawn as he plunged into the battle.

"Idiot," Urbosa hissed.

"I'd say he's going to get killed," Mipha started. "But I think that's wishful thinking."

Urbosa grinned. She cracked her knuckles, winked at Link, then followed after Revali with Daruk on her heels.

Before Link could think to argue with them, they suddenly found themselves surrounded as several Yiga soldiers appeared before them suddenly. They sprung into the air with their blades raised, then plunged down toward them.

Link was quick to block a blow with his dagger, pushing forcefully against the Yiga that attacked him. But just as the Yiga seemed to back off, several more pressed forward. Link dislodged them quickly, jumping backwards to avoid their swings and spinning around on his heels to block another attack.

Lost in the heat of the battle, his mind went on autopilot, easily remembering all the training that Impa had beaten into his head. Though his blade was a little shorter, and admittedly less deadlier, he had no problems keeping up his defenses, blocking their blows and giving him enough space to keep out of their reach.

Without the extra reach of the sword, however, Link was able to do little more than block their attacks. He was wasting too much of his energy on defense; he needed to find a way to deal some damage. It was risky, but if he didn't act soon, he would exhaust his energy and make careless, costly mistakes.

So when the next Yiga sprung at him, he stepped out of the way, grabbing at the Yiga's arm, catching him in surprise and causing him to stumble and fall. As he did so, Link pulled the Yiga soldier toward him, plunging his blade into his enemy's guy. He yanked it out quickly, letting the Yiga drop to the ground where he choked and gasped, the light fading from his eyes.

Link was already moving on to his next target, but the Yiga had already picked up on his change of tactic and were better prepared than his first victim, dodging him with ease as he lunged at the next one. They came at him faster, crowding him, and he had no choice but to move back to his defensive stance, moving quickly to block and dislodged their blows.

Within moments, he found himself completely surrounded. He looked around as they pressed in, grinning wickedly at their cornered prey. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the blade in his hand and his pulse quickened nervously. It didn't seem so long ago he had found himself in a similar situation; only this time, he didn't have the dark power to rely on. He knew he would not be able to fend them all off, and he was sure they would not give him any opportunities to escape their hold. He was sure they wouldn't kill him right away; they still needed to harness the power of the Triforce. But if he ended up as their captive again, he was a dead man. Even if it meant taking his own life before they could take the Triforce from him.

He really considered this option as they continued to press in. He would not hand himself over so easily. If it was what it came down to, he was prepared to do it without hesitation. He went to move his hand to the butt of his gun, but just as his arm twitched, the Yiga soldiers lunged at him all at once with raised blades.

He didn't have time to react. He raised his blade defensively before him, but it did him no good. He was knocked violently to the sandy ground, and a sudden, piercing pain in his side overwhelmed him. He clutched at the wound as the blade was withdrawn, blood seeping through his fingers. When he looked up, all but one Yiga had backed away. The Yiga stood over him threateningly, tossing his blade confidently in the air. He gripped it in his hand, raised his arm, and Link closed his eyes, preparing to meet his certain death.


	43. Chapter 43

How many times had it been now? Three? Four? No, more than that, though he was sure he could still count the number on just his two hands. A handful of times he had been stabbed, gutted, or otherwise mortally wounded. And all he could think was 'For fuck's sake, Revali will never let me live this down.' Even in death, he was sure Revali would curse his name. It would be carved into his gravestone: Here Lies the Hero That Got Gutted… Again! He would have laughed - and he almost did - but the pain in his gut was causing his vision to darken. He would have been disappointed if there weren't tally marks on his gravestone. Not that he would know one way or another.

His eyes opened, then, realizing that he was - by another miracle - still alive. He looked up warily, but was not prepared for what he was about to witness.

The Yiga soldier that had his blade raised now lay lifeless on the ground. His father stood before him, holding his ground just as the other Yiga soldiers lunged at him. His arms crossed in front of him and the Yiga soldiers were suddenly pushed backwards. Rusl grunted under the impact and stepped backwards, but otherwise, remained standing. As they landed on the ground, Rusl thrust his palm out, and a sudden forcewave shot forward, sending them flying violently further back, their bones snapping from the impact before they even dropped to the ground.

Rusl turned to face Link, studying him for a moment with concerned eyes.

"You're alive," Rusl grunted.

"Not dead yet," Link muttered, wincing at the pain. He turned as Mipha dropped to his side and did his best to ignore her angry glare as she worked to heal the wound as quick as she could. When she was finished, Rusl pulled him to his feet. With the wave of Yiga that had ambushed them cleared, they had a moment to examine the rest of the battle field. The Champions continued to fight strongly against the opposing Yiga, and for the first time in a long time, Link felt a glimmer of hope.

"Are you going to explain that stunt you pulled?" Link asked. He narrowed his gaze on his father. "How long have you been hiding that?"

"Years," Rusl said simply. "All Hylian's are capable of wielding that sort of power. I don't compare to Dorian's strength, but it comes in handy." He turned and met Link's gaze, his eyes fierce. "If you want a damn chance at winning this and coming out alive, you need to find that power."

Link hesitated. "That seems like the kind of thing that takes a lot of training," he muttered.

"For most, yes," Rusl started. "But you're the Chosen Hero. You're not most."

Link turned his gaze away. He cracked his knuckles absentmindedly. "Alright," he said. "Guess it's time to join the Superheroes Club." He hesitated, then glanced at his father. "Any tips?"

Rusl held his gaze on Link for a moment, then shrugged. "Don't die."

Link's brows furrowed. "I mean on this Hylian voodoo you expect me to use."

Rusl's lips pulled into a small smile. He pulled his gaze away and sighed. "No."

Link pinched his lips together, then focused his attention on the battle waging below them. His tongue stuck out between his lips slightly as he focused his attention, then thrust his palm out like he had seen his father do.

But nothing happened.

Rusl snorted, and Link scowled at him.

"I don't see you helping!"

"Hyrule is doomed," Rusl said, shaking his head.

"Shut up," Link growled. "I don't need your stupid Hylian shit." He exhaled angrily, then left his father alone on top of the dune, sliding on the sand to quickly join his friends in the battle.

The battle between the Yiga and Hyrule continued on. Hylians, Sheikah, and Humans alike fought side by side against their enemy, and though Link could not find the power within him, he pressed on, determined to do whatever he could to stop the Yiga Clan once and for all. He fought beside his friends, he fought beside his father, and he fought beside comrades who gave their lives to support Link, despite all that had happened in the last few weeks; despite the lives he, himself, had ended. But as he fought, he didn't think of any of it. He focused only on doing what he did best; what he was born to do. He focused on saving Hyrule and preserving the kingdom's future.

It wasn't long before he found himself overlooking the battlefield once more. Teba had managed to find him in the chaos and pulled him aside with Zelda, Dorian and Rusl. His gaze was fierce as he regarded them.

"I lost contact with the Divine Beasts," he said.

"What do you mean you lost contact?" Dorian sneered. "What's going on?"

"The last person I spoke with was Purah," Teba explained. "She said they fought off the last of the Yiga that ambushed them. But that was almost half an hour ago."

Dorian pressed in closer to Teba, getting into his face angrily as he spoke. "Where the fuck are my daughters?"

Teba hesitated. "I don't know."

"Dorian," Rusl warned, but Dorian was too busy shouting profanities at Teba to listen.

At that moment, however, the radio crackled to life, and Cottla's panicked voice came over in broken pieces.

"... back-up... Teba… he's here… Kohga… here..."

Dorian didn't wait a second longer. The moment Cottla mentioned Kohga, Dorian was gone in a snap. Rusl looked at the space where Dorian once stood, his lips pinched together nervously. He turned his gaze back to Link.

"Fuck," Teba muttered under his breath. "Fucking shit."

"There's nothing we can do about it now," Rusl said. "Dorian will take care of it."

Teba turned his gaze to Zelda. "We're getting slaughtered out there," he said. "The Sheikah can hold their own, but right now, they're working twice as hard to fight and hold up defenses. My guys are taking a beating. They won't last much longer."

Zelda's brows furrowed and her frown deepened as she looked over the battlefield. "I know," she said softly.

"You knew they wouldn't stand a chance," Link growled. "You shouldn't have dragged them into this."

"I didn't," Teba snapped. "They offered. The least you can do is be a little more grateful for their sacrifices."

Link's face softened as he regarded Teba, though his stomach knotted sickeningly. He never wanted anyone to do this for him. He pulled his gaze away and bit his lip.

"Pull them back."

The three men turned their gazes to Zelda.

"What?" Rusl sneered.

"I said pull them back," Zelda snapped. "We're done here."

"Right," Link started. "Because the Yiga will just let us retreat. They'll still be a damn problem we need to stop!"

"We're at a stalemate," Zelda said, narrowing her gaze on him. "At this rate, they'll only exhaust themselves. As soon as that happens, we'll lose. We need to regroup and consider our options. We've already dealt a great deal of damage. Their hideout has been destroyed. They'll be an easier target next time. When we're better prepared, we'll make our move."

"They won't wait for you," Rusl reminded her. "If you leave, you'll leave Hyrule without a defense. Impa is the only thing keeping them out of the city. They'll go after her. They will kill her. The ward will drop, and the city will be exposed. If you pull them back, the war will be lost."

Zelda hesitated. Her forehead creased in worry as she watched the battle wage on. After a moment, she turned to Teba.

"The choice is yours," Teba said.

"I want your professional opinion," she said simply.

Teba held his gaze on her for a moment. "Rusl's right," he finally said. "Pulling back will only seal our fate."

"But you said so yourself -"

"People die in war," Teba growled. "It's a few of our men, or it's all of Hyrule. It's not the most ideal way to look at the situation, but…" He hesitated. "Hyrule is what we're fighting for. Let them defend their kingdom."

Zelda turned her gaze back to the battle. "I liked it better when we were the only ones doing the fighting," she said softly.

"This has become more than you can handle alone," Teba said. He glanced at Link, his gaze narrowing. "Both of you."

"Why are you looking at me?" Link hissed.

"Because I know you have a habit of running in blind thinking you can take care of everything yourself."

"That's my job."

"Your job is to keep Hyrule safe," he snapped. "Not be an idiot."

"Well you just take the fun out of everything."

"Someone has to control this fucking circus you call heroes."

"I'm the ringleader," Link said, thrusting his thumb into his chest.

"You're the idiot that wants to get shot out of a canon."

Link smirked and shrugged a shoulder. "Someone has to do the shit no one else wants to do."

"Alright," Zelda growled at them. She sighed. "We stay put then."

"I guess I can't convince you to go back to the city?" Teba said.

"Of course not," Zelda hissed. "I won't run and hide and leave them -"

"Running and hiding is usually the best option when you're the one they want," Teba said, narrowing his eyes on her. "If Kohga gets his hands on either of you, we're just as fucked."

"Look," Zelda said. "Either we all run, or we stay put. It's one or the other. Pick your poison."

"There's no reasoning with you," Teba muttered.

"Are you so surprised?" Link said.

"Look who's talking," Zelda snapped at him. "I'm just trying to keep up with you."

"You're supposed to be the reasonable one," Link said.

"Well, what good does that do if no one ever listens to me?" She turned her nose up at him.

"Have you all forgotten that I am the queen?"

"Here we go," Link said. "It's highschool all over again."

"You know," Zelda sneered. "I've really had it with you. I should have just let you turn and killed you myself."

"That's the Zelda I used to know," Link grinned. "I preferred it when you hated my guts."

Rusl sighed loudly. "Are you done?"

"She started it," Link muttered.

Rusl glanced at Link. "That's real mature."

Link grinned at his father. He opened his mouth, prepared with a snappy comeback, but a snap in the air caught his attention, and he quickly turned his gaze back to the battle below, which appeared to be temporarily disrupted. The two armies had parted, a distinct space of desert sand between the Yiga army and the Hyrulean army. A man stepped forward from the Yiga army. He took a few steps into the empty space before turning his gaze to the dunes where Link and Zelda stood. A wicked grin split his face.

Without hesitation, Link and Zelda lurched forward, despite Teba's shouts. They slid down the sandy dunes until they stood just yards away from Kohga. They held their grown as Kohga faced them.

"There they are," he said with a light sigh. "I've been looking for you." He regarded his army over his shoulder, nodding his head slightly. At his command, Yiga soldiers sprung toward the Sheikah, and one by one, they disappeared, until only the Hyrulean army remained to fight off the other approaching Yiga soldiers. Unmatched to their power, however, the soldiers quickly fell at the hands of the Yiga. The Champions moved quickly in an attempt to fight off the Yiga, but in the chaos of the fight, they soon found themselves at the mercy of the Yiga. A Yiga soldier stood behind each of them, an arm wrapped around each of their neck's, blades pressed against their skin. But Link knew the threat was just for show, for their own power was far greater and more destructive. The deaths his friends would suffer by a mere blade would have been a far kinder fate.

Through it all, Kohga hadn't moved an inch. He stood between them and their friends, and with a pleased smile, he turned his attention to Link and Zelda once more. "Now, I'm sure I don't have to say this," he started, "but if you so much as blink, I will have their heads."

"Let them go," Link growled. "And you can have me."

Kohga laughed. "It seems you still don't understand," he said. "I will take what I want and destroy anyone and anything that stands in my way. There is no negotiating here." He raised his arm, his palm out toward Link.

His mind went blank. In that moment, all he could think to do was prepare for his inevitable death. there seemed nothing more they could do. He closed his eyes as Kohga's power burst forth, throwing him forcefully to the ground where he lost consciousness.


	44. Chapter 44

Whether from the force of the attack or how hard he had landed on the ground, he was only unconscious for a fraction of a moment. But it was enough to knock the wind out of him. He felt the rough sand hit his face, but except for the pain of the force he felt against his body, he felt no other pain to suggest he was even remotely injured.

As Rusl pushed his son out of the way, Revali sprang into action behind him, moving at speeds faster than he ever had before, oblivious to the Yiga soldiers that held him and his friends at knife point. In one motion, he broke free of the Yiga's grasp and grabbed the blade, slicing it immediately across the soldier's neck. Before the Yiga soldier even dropped to his knees, he had the others free, bringing the blade across their captives' necks as well.

Without hesitation, he moved to Kohga, but to his surprise, Kohga was seemingly just as fast, and the moment Revali appeared behind him, the Yiga Clan leader thrust a palm out towards him, sending him sliding across the desert sands. The force of it stunned him, and the speed at which he was knocked back caused road rash on his body from the sand.

All of this happened in only a fraction of a second. As Link pushed himself onto his knees, he realized, then, that the force that had knocked him to the ground was not Kohga's attack, but his father. He quickly searched for his father, seeing Revali first groaning on the ground, not where he had originally been. When he found his father, he had his arms crossed as Kohga hurled another explosive attack towards them. The attack exploded against Rusl's defense instead, the force of it bringing Rusl to his knees. The shield around them dropped immediately, and Kohga took advantage, stepping forward and grabbing Rusl, pulling him up violently. Link watched in horror as Kohga thrust his blade into his father, and Rusl promptly dropped to the ground out of Kohga's hold. Link screamed to his father, but a crack in the air drowned out his voice as Dorian appeared before them. In just another fraction of a second, Dorian's power burst forth, and in that same instance, Kohga and his foot soldiers disappeared into thin air, narrowly missing Dorian's attack.

Dorian's shoulders dropped as soon as their enemy disappeared, and he hesitated before turning around. His heart dropped at the sight of his wounded friend; he was too late.

Link scrambled against the sand toward his father as Rusl clutched at the blade in his chest. His hand instantly moved to the blade to remove it, but Mipha's voice stopped him suddenly.

"Don't! If you move it, he'll bleed out and die."

Link's hand hovered above the blade. His eyes turned to Mipha. "Fix it," he growled.

When Mipha spoke again, her voice was barely audible. "I… can't." She swallowed at the lump that formed in her throat. "As long as the blade remains, the wound cannot be repaired. But he will bleed out as soon as it is removed. It will be too quick for anyone to heal."

Rusl started to laugh, but choked and winced in pain instead.

"No," Link started. He sneered at Rusl. "You think this is fucking funny?"

"Little bit," Rusl managed to choke out.

"I don't!" Link's voice cracked slightly.

Rusl's eyes closed. "It was me or you, Kid."

"You're an idiot," Link said, his voice hard.

"Yeah, well." His breath shuttered as he exhaled. He put his hand on Link's. "Don't let that bastard win."

"Dad." His voice softened and broke as his father squeezed his hand. "Don't."

Another shuttered breath left his body, and after another moment, his grip loosened on Link's hand. His arm dropped to the ground where it landed with a soft thud against the sand.

"No!" His fingers curled into his father's shirt, and he desperately search for a pulse, but his heart was silenced forever. His body shook with each breath he took, and without realizing it, he steadied himself against his father's chest. In a moment of anger, he pulled the knife lodged in his father's chest and let it drop to the ground.

The world was silent. His vision blurred as he looked upon his father. He let out his held breath, and with it, the tears fell. He closed his eyes and forced his grip to loosen. He struggled against the hard lump in his throat, cutting off his airway, but it only resulted in a soft sob. His tears dropped silently onto his father's chest.

Link didn't even notice the Triforce pulsing softly on his hand at first. It wasn't until he felt the unsettling sensation of a strange power washing through him did he turn to watch the Triforce. In that instant, it grew and brightened until it seem to envelop him completely, and for a moment, he thought they had failed; that the darkness had won and was taking over.

But the feeling was not like the dark power that once surged through him. It felt lighter. Pure. And just as quickly as it began, the light from the Triforce was cut off abruptly, sending a forcewave out from his body and across the desert, blowing the sand around them.

He pulled his bloodied hands away and stared at the sand as the wind softened, blowing steadily across the desert. His fingers curled into his palm, his nails cutting deep into his skin. Only then did he look up, first to Dorian. The Sheikah's expression was an odd combination of surprise and grief that Link had never seen before. He didn't utter a word to Link, but instead stared at Rusl's lifeless body. Link then turned his gaze to his friends, but found no comfort in their similar gazes.

Link forced himself to his feet. His eyes moved to his father's body one last time. He reached for the weapon at his side automatically, realizing then that he no longer needed it. He turned an angry gaze back to Dorian.

"Where is he?" he hissed.

Dorian met his gaze, his expression still pained. "Link -"

Link thrust his arm out and the ground began to tremble. "I'll fucking kill him!"

Dorian's gaze hardened on his. He nodded once. The air snapped, and they were all pulled through violently through the world in an instant. When the world snapped back into focus, they could see that they were in the heart of battle. The Sheikah fought against the Yiga, but this time, with a few extra Sheikah on their side. Cottla, Koko, Impa, and Purah had all returned from defending the Divine Beasts and now fought alongside the rest of the Sheikah.

The Champions quickly sprang into action, but Link's mind was elsewhere, the rage still pulsing through his veins as he searched out Kohga, his only target. But in the chaos of the battle - between the Sheikah and the Yiga and the explosion of their power - it seemed that that task would be impossible. His gaze narrowed as he searched for his enemy, and after a few minutes of studying the battle, he noticed a break in the chaos. It seemed Kohga, too, had been seeking Link out, and at that moment, their eyes met.

A grin split Kohga's face and his chin lifted, taunting Link. But the moment Link took a step forward, he lept into the air and disappeared in a snap. Link's gaze moved frantically around the battle as he sensed the air snap once more, finding Kohga on the far end of the battlefield. Link sprinted to him, but just as he neared, the air snapped and Kohga disappeared again, his laughter lingering and echoing in Link's mind.

When Kohga appeared again, he was atop one of the dunes, and he beckoned to Link with a single finger. But Link had tired of the cat and mouse chase, unwilling to give Kohga the advantage of tiring him out or drawing him further away from the protection of his friends and the Sheikah. Instead, he forced himself to think rationally, slowing his mind and his breathing as he focused his attention on Kohga.

He noticed, then, a change in Kohga's demeanor. He regarded Link warily, and in that moment, the world seemed to slow around him. He watched as Kohga's muscles twitched, indicating he was about to make his escape, but before he could disappear, Link thrust his palm out toward him. The power surged and pulled through his body, practically pulling the breath right out of him as it collected in the palm of his hand and shot forth toward his enemy. His attack was quick, and the force of it was enough to knock Kohga to the ground, stopping him from disappearing once more.

Though he took a moment to regain himself, Link knew he could not close the distance between them without him disappearing again. He broke into a sprint across the sands and up the dune, hurling another attack at Kohga before he could regain himself. The attack sent him sliding across the sand along the dune, and as Link neared, he thrust his hands toward the ground, causing the sand to erupt around them and sending Kohga high into the air.

But Kohga was able to regain himself as he plummeted back towards the ground, and in a snap, he disappeared before he landed, appearing just behind Link as he crested the dune. Sensing his presence just a fraction of a second before he appeared, Link spun around, pulling his blade out in the process and catching Kohga off guard. He swung the blade at Kohga, and Kohga stepped backwards, narrowly missing Link's attack. Link lunged forward, but Kohga leapt back, another grin splitting his face. He raised his arm in a one swift movement, the blade was knocked from Link's hand. It flipped through the air until it landed several yards away.

But this didn't discourage Link. In fact, he had hardly noticed that it was missing, and instead threw another attack towards Kohga. Kohga continued to leap backwards, and in between dodging Link's attacks, he hurled his own attacks at Link. And when Kohga tired of the endless back and forth, he disappeared, only to appear once more behind Link in an attempt to throw him off and catch him off guard. But Link was prepared for Kohga's desperate attempts to break the cycle, and he ducked just as Kohga appeared behind him. He swung his leg around, knocking Kohga to the ground. Before Kohga even touched the sands, Link sprang toward him, throwing his arm out toward him and promptly paralyzing his body, pinning him against the ground.

Kohga grinned up at Link. Though Link had him paralyzed, he was unable to kill him.

"Well?" Kohga started. "What's wrong, Hero? Can't kill me?" His slow, wicked laughter grew manically. "I gave you strength and power," he continued. "But instead, you chose to be weak. That choice has cost you a life, and it will continue to cost more lives." He watched as the pain flashed across Link's face, and he grinned. "What will you do, then, if you cannot finish me?"

Link tore his gaze away. Every part of his being wanted Kohga dead, and he wanted to be the one to do it. Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to end his enemy's life, and it only infuriated him more. As long as he kept his power moving through him, Kohga would be unable to escape, but it was he who felt paralyzed. It was only a matter of time before he would exhaust himself, and Kohga would be free again. Free to bring Zelda and him to their knees. Free to use the Triforce against them and bring Ganondorf back into their world. Free to continue to kill and destroy. Everything and everyone he loved - gone.

Link hadn't even noticed, then, that the battle that was behind them had quieted. The army of Yiga soldiers that had swarmed the Champions now lay defeated, their bodies scattered over the battlefield. The Champions looked upon their lifeless enemies before turning their gazes to Link as he stood over Kohga, neither moving. Revali's brows furrowed and he shouted to Link, but Link still did not move.

Link felt the slight snap in the air and the breeze against his skin as Revali appeared suddenly at his side, an arrow drawn in his bow. His eyes were determined and angry as he looked down at Kohga, the arrow pointed at his neck. Kohga, however, was unfazed by the turn of events, and he grinned up at Revali. Revali sneered at the Yiga Clan leader.

"You know you have no other options," Kohga continued. "You're a killer, Link. A murderer. And now, you don't have anything to blame for it." He smiled. "You and I aren't so different now, are we?" He let his words linger for a moment before he went on. "It seems that without me, you wouldn't have made it this far."

"Say the word," Revali hissed to Link.

"You know," Kohga pressed on. "I regretted it when your father escaped. But it worked out so much better. You had the ability to kill me and you didn't even know it. You could have saved him. Watching him die right in front of you, by my hands, well, that was a treat for me."

Revali released the arrow and it plunged into Kohga's neck. He instantly gasped as his airway was cut off. He choked and sputtered as the blood pooled and seeped out from between his lips. It would not be an immediate death, but one that Revali hoped would be slow and painful. Still, he drew another arrow in preparation for whatever could happen next.

Link dropped his arm then, releasing his hold on Kohga, but Kohga was slowly dying, and he made no effort to retreat. His hands clutched at his throat, his fingers scratching desperately in an attempt to grasp the arrow and pull it out, but he could not seem to get a grip as his strength quickly started to fade.

Link turned his back on him and paused. He listened to Kohga's desperate gasps for life and felt the anger rush through him once more. Through his dying breaths, Kohga still managed to speak, digging deeper into Link's fresh wounds.

"Hero… their deaths… are on you…"

Link grasped the gun on his hip and spun on his heels, firing three quick shots, one after another, and Kohga fell silent forever. Link held his stance as if expecting Kohga to spring back to life. His eyes were fierce as he glared at Kohga's body, his shoulders heaving with pained, heavy breaths, until he finally found it in himself to lower his arm. He tore his gaze away, pocketing his weapon once more, and stepped away, moving down the dunes with Revali at his side.

All around them, bodies were strewn over the desert sands. Sheikah moved quickly to the bodies that still showed signs of life, working frantically to heal them and keep them from their untimely deaths. Bodies that belonged to Sheikah and Hyruleans alike. Those who battled against all odds to help keep Hyrule safe. And all for what? A dark future was all that was in store for the people of Hyrule. Despite all they had done, Hyrule would fall to the very thing they protected it from. The lives sacrificed… it was all for nothing.

Link's mind began to spin as he looked over the bodies. His stomach churned and his blood boiled. He was suddenly overcome with a wave of emotions. Anger, fear, depression, anxiety. It all rolled together inside of him, ripping through him, causing him to panic and hyperventilate. He suddenly felt more out of control than ever, and there was nothing he could do to fix anything. All he knew was that he couldn't be in that damned desert any longer.

He didn't even hear Revali calling to him until he gripped his shoulders, forcing Link to meet his gaze, his eyes wide with the anxiety that pulsed through him. He couldn't hear a thing as Revali regarded him with concern. He spoke to Link, but Link could not make out his words. He glanced over at Dorian as he appeared at his side. Dorian's brows furrowed. He pressed two fingers against his forehead, and Link's vision darkened.


	45. Chapter 45

Dorian caught Link as he fell forward, unconscious. He looked him over quickly, ignoring Revali's angered shouts.

"The fuck did you do?"

"He'll come to in a bit," Dorian said. He set Link against the ground and stood. "He's been through enough. Let him rest." He pulled at the radio on his vest and spoke into it sharply. "Get the med flights in here. Now!" He regarded Revali. "Our power has run thin and we need to focus on healing those we can. We can only get you out of here the old fashioned way."

Revali looked down at Link and frowned. "Fine," he said simply. He looked up as the others made their way over, and Dorian disappeared into the the bustle of the other Sheikah as they worked to heal the wounded.

Mipha dropped to the ground, pulling Link onto her lap. Her fingers brushed his hair out of his face as she cried softly. The Champions stood together silently, looking to the sky as the engine of the first helicopter neared. It flew low as it came in sight, the Hylian Crest emblazoned on the side. The Sheikah were helping limping bodies over to it before it even landed, and stretchers were quickly taken out and moved to retrieve those who could not walk.

Over the next half hour, helicopters flew in and out of the desert, each one taking as many of the wounded as possible. As they waited, Link finally came to, slightly disoriented. His head throbbed, but otherwise, he felt fine. Calm, even. He looked around him until his gaze landed on Mipha, her brows furrowed in concern.

"Hey," she said softly. "Are you okay?"

He couldn't hold it back any longer. He let himself fall into her arms, and he cried.

It wasn't long after he came to when a helicopter finally arrived to take the Champions out of the desert. They boarded it eagerly, despite the force of the breeze that almost pushed them backwards. Once they were all on board, it climbed into the air before turning around and soaring over the vast, empty desert. Within a couple of hours, they made it out of the desert, landing at one of the military bases just outside of the desert where a van waited to bring them across Hyrule and back to the ranch.

They sat in the back of the van, bench seats lining both sides of the vehicle. In one corner, Link sat with his legs pulled to his chest. He leaned his head back against the corner, occasionally looking out the window as they drove, but mostly keeping his tired eyes closed.

Mipha sat beside him, his hand in her's, but she didn't dare to force him to come out of the shell he had put himself in. When the pain started to overwhelm her, she let herself lean against Urbosa and allowed the tears to fall down her cheeks. Between Mipha on one side of her, and Zelda on the other, Urbosa felt determined to provide comfort to her friends, which only proved to be difficult for her as they each broke down into quiet tears.

Across from them sat Daruk, Revali, and Teba, each equally as quiet, struck with remorse. After the first hour of driving in silence, Teba pulled a flask from out of his vest and offered it wordlessly to Revali beside him.

"Dude." Though Revali's voice was soft, it seemed much too loud in the quiet van. "I love you." He took the flask from his friend eagerly and drank.

Teba smiled, and when Revali was finished, he passed the flask to Daruk, who took it was a shrug before drinking.

The drive was painfully quiet, each of them lost in their own thoughts, with war still weighing heavily on their minds. Though they had ultimately won the war against the Yiga, none of them felt particularly victorious, suffering too great a loss for them to feel any relief.

Despite their feelings of helplessness, the sun broke through the clouded horizon, bringing the promise of a new day and warming the land. It hadn't occurred to them that they had fought well through the night, and now it was morning. Though the van pressed onward, their eyes closed, and for the rest of the day's drive, they slept as much as they could.

They drove through most of the day, stopping late in the night at a rest area off the highway where they opted to stretch their legs and grab a pizza. They were gathered around the van, chatting quietly amongst themselves, and from time to time, Teba answered a call and took to pacing the lot as he spoke into the phone. All the while, Link remained in the van, refusing to even respond to Mipha when she tried to talk to him.

After a couple of short hours, they continued their trip across Hyrule, driving straight through the night and into the early morning hours. It was nearing noon when they finally arrived at the ranch. Aryll was sitting on the front steps of the porch when the van pulled to a stop. She jumped up excitedly as they climbed out, but her smile quickly faded when she realized her father was not among them. Not only that, their faces were somber as Aryll made her way to them, her pace slowing.

"No," she said, meeting Link's gaze. Her face quickly paled. "No. Where is he? Where's Dad?"

"Aryll," Link started, his voice breaking. He pulled his gaze away from her.

"No!" she shouted. "What did you do?"

Link winced as his sister shouted at him. "Aryll -"

"How could you?" She was sobbing now. Her hands moved to her face and she shook her head. "He just came back! He came back, he came back…" Her voice trailed off as her body shook. Link hurried to his sister and she fell against him, sobbing into his chest.

"I'm sorry," Link murmured against her. "Aryll… I'm sorry."

Aryll wrapped her arms around him and her sobbing quieted for a moment. "Is it over?" she whispered. "Please tell me I won't lose you, too."

"It's over," Link said softly. "I promise."

Her body relaxed slightly in his arms. She stared at the ground, watching as her tears splashed against the dirt drive. "What happened?"

Link said nothing as he stared at the ground. Aryll pulled away and regarded him angrily.

"What happened?" she repeated, louder this time.

Link hesitated. "It doesn't matter."

"I want to know!" she insisted. "I want to know why he's dead!" The tears returned quickly, running down her cheeks.

Her words caused him to wince again and he pulled his gaze away. Without another word, he pushed passed his sister.

"Where are you going?" Aryll snapped at him.

"I need a shower," Link hissed. "I have his fucking blood on my hands." He hesitated and his face whitened. He looked down at his blood stained hands, then immediately turned away again. He could feel the anxiety rising once more in his chest, and it took all his effort to remain calm. He didn't want to break down in front of his sister, so he forced himself into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Aryll stared after her brother for a moment, then turned back to the Champions. Mipha hurried to her, and Aryll let herself fall into her arms where she sobbed.

Link didn't see Aryll or his friends for most of the afternoon, though he didn't exactly search for them, either. He was sure they were around, somewhere, but it was for the best; he didn't particularly want their company, anyway. Instead, he leaned against the top rail of the paddock. It felt like a century ago he stood there with his father. Nothing that happened since then felt real. Not their battle with the Yiga, or his father's death, or even his new found power that now slumbered deep inside of him. Though he was clearly mourning his father's death, part of him expected his father to turn the corner at any moment with a cigarette between his lips. He felt stuck between the real world and the shut out world he put himself in, though he felt certain that would only meant it would hit him much harder when he found his way back to reality.

At some point during the afternoon, Link had managed to wander back into the house where he absentmindedly helped himself to the beer in the fridge. When evening turned the sky to an array of darkened watercolors, Link found himself sitting on the hood of his father's car, his knees pulled up to his chest where he rested his chin. One arm was wrapped loosely around his legs while the other was at his side, a beer in hand. He absentmindedly turned the half empty bottle in his fingers as he stared out toward the horizon. After a moment, the bottle slipped out of his hands. It rolled down the hood of the car, then dropped to the ground where the rest of its contents drained out. His gaze was still fixed on the horizon, listening as the bottle dropped, and with it, a few stray tears rolled down his cheeks.

He watched silently as the sun started to dip below the horizon, until only a sliver of it remained. But as the last of the sun sunk below the horizon, a flash lit the sky around it, as if making one last desperate attempt to bathe the world in light before finally succumbing to the mercy of night.

Link watched in awe as the rest of the sky grew dark, and slowly, one by one, the stars began to dot the sky, until Link finally pulled his gaze away. He slid off the hood of the car, letting his fingers run along the body as he walked around it. He watched his fingers move along the paint until he reached the end of the car. He looked up then, catching a figure standing before him. His heart leapt as he swore he saw his father, but as soon as he glanced toward the figure, it disappeared in an instant. A light breeze blew his hair around him as he stared at the empty space.

After a moment, he realized how exhausted he felt, causing him to become oblivious to the presence watching him. He turned his gaze to the porch where Revali stood. He made his way up the front steps, his hands shoved in his pockets, and he stopped at Revali's side. After a moment, Revali spoke.

"Teba said Dorian sent his guys to scout the area," he said. "Once they're sure the Yiga Clan is no longer a threat, we can go back home."

Home. The word felt foreign to him. It felt like such a long time since he had been home. And even when he was home, home didn't feel like home. It felt like a deep, vast hole where he was trapped with only his memories and thoughts of what could have been. It was a broken, lifeless void where he had lost himself. Home hadn't felt like home since his father died - the first time. It was just a painful reminder that he was powerless to stop the true evils of the world. He couldn't return to that home. It would have been too painful.

But Aryll needed to be home. She needed stability now more than ever. Would he be able to provide that for her?

"Link?"

"Yeah," he said. "Home."

Revali narrowed his gaze on Link. "This is… a really stupid question." He let out a breath. "Are you gonna be alright?"

Link hesitated. He knew too well what Revali was referring to. But he forced a smile. "Yeah. I'm not going anywhere."

In his exhaustion, Link finally settled onto the couch in the living room. Most of the house was dark, but he could hear voices coming from the kitchen were Mipha, Urbosa, Zelda, Revali, and Daruk had gathered to talk quietly. He didn't have the energy to listen in, and before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

He awoke to the feeling of something in his palm. Warm fingers placed themselves delicately in his hand. He opened his eyes, half expecting to see Aryll, but was instead greeted by Mipha, who he was just as grateful to see. He blinked for a moment before relaxing back against the couch.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Link sighed through his nose. "I wasn't sleeping."

Mipha frowned. "What can I do?" she asked softly.

Link pushed himself up. His head was pounding, and his eyes felt hot and tired. He shook his head. "Is Aryll okay?" He should have been with her instead of dozing on the couch, especially considering the last thing he had said to her. He was far from comforting to his sister, and he regretted being so cold with her.

"She's fine," Mipha assured him. "She's sleeping."

This relieved him. He couldn't be sure when she last got a decent night's sleep. Despite all that had happened, he was grateful she had at least found a chance to rest. They would have to return to the city - and their lives - soon, and Link wanted nothing more to give her a sense of normalcy once more. He felt Mipha's hand on his cheek and he met her gaze.

"Stop worrying," she said with a soft smile.

His face relaxed - he hadn't realized how tightly his brows were furrowed - and he sighed. He put his hand on top of hers and pressed his lips against hers.

"You should get some sleep, too," she said softly.

She was right, of course, though he wasn't sure if he would be able to sleep as easily as Aryll. And in truth, he was terrified. Terrified that the nightmares would return and he would fall into the same dark pit he barely escaped from. Still, he didn't resist when Mipha pulled him up, and he followed her tiredly into one of the bedrooms. The moment his head hit the pillow, sleep overcame him, and to his relief, it came quietly and uninterrupted.


	46. Chapter 46

It was late in the morning when Link awoke, and he was alone. He stared at the wall for a moment, working up the strength to pull himself out of the bed, if only for Aryll. With a great sigh, his feet hit the floor, and he shimmied into his pants and shirt. The house was quiet as he navigated downstairs. When he turned the corner into the living room, he saw Aryll was sleeping quietly, stretched out on the couch. The floorboard squeaked slightly, and she awoke, looking at her brother through half-opened eyes. Her hand reached for him as he walked by, and he let his fingers run along her palm as he used to do shortly after their father had died - the first time - reassuring her that he was still there. This satisfied her, and with a soft sigh, she fell back asleep.

Link wasn't sure if she were truly awake during the interaction, but it didn't matter. He didn't want her to feel like she needed to get up any time soon. Hylia, let the poor girl sleep.

After making his way through the rest of the house, it was clear that no one else was inside. He ventured out onto the front porch, greeted by the bright rays of the sun. He squinted into the light, and when his eyes adjusted, he saw that his friends were gathered together in the drive. They had looked up at him when the door opened.

"Hey," he grunted.

"It's beer-thirty," Kit said with a grin. He held an open beer bottle in his hand. "Thirsty?"

"It's like, eleven o'clock," Link said.

"Never stopped you before," Kit reminded him.

"It's five o'clock somewhere," Revali said with a shrug.

Link shrugged, not needing further convincing. He trotted down the front steps and took the bottle Kit offered him.

"To Hyrule's Champions," Kit said, raising his beer. "Without them, I would have no one to exploit. My bar is officially a tourist attraction." He grinned proudly and Revali snickered.

"To Rusl," Daruk added, and their bottles clinked somberly.

When they finished their drinks, Revali cleared his throat. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and proceeded to dial before making his way away from the group.

"Where you going?" Urbosa called to him.

"Not to call my Dad and make amends, that's for sure," he grunted. He brought his phone to his ear, still walking. "Fuck that - hey, Dad."

"What a loser," Daruk muttered. He hesitated, then turned away. He shot Link an apologetic look. "Me too. I owe that guy a beer."

"Talk about Daddy issues," Riju said, rolling her eyes.

"Aren't you gonna call yours?" Kit taunted her.

Riju crossed her arms. "We don't need no man."

Kit nodded thoughtfully. "Ah. So, you got 'em, too." He grinned. "That's hot."

Urbosa sneered at him, zapping him lightly with a point of her finger, causing Kit to yelp.

"Careful, Urbosa," Kit said once the sensation passed. "I might like it."

Urbosa made a sound of disgust, and Kit's grin widened.

As Revali and Daruk made their way back to the group, the door opened and Aryll stepped out hesitantly. Link forced a smile at Aryll as she joined them in the driveway. Without a word, Link handed her a beer. She cocked her head slightly, then took it from him. Link draped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him. She peered into the bottle, sniffed, and scrunched her nose. Revali laughed.

"There's no fruity drinks here," he said. "You wanna play with the big dogs, you gotta drink like the big dogs."

"Funny," she said. "I see nothing but poodles here."

Daruk grinned. "Nice."

"Poodles are actually pretty vicious," Revali said.

Aryll frowned. "Oh, Revali, did you get your ass kicked by a poodle?"

Revali grinned. "I like this one. She's funny. Say something mean about Link."

Aryll smirked at him. "You just won't grow up, will you?"

Revali shrugged. "What's the fun in that? Life's too short."

Aryll studied her beer. "Yeah."

They fell silent until a snap in the air caught their attention, and three figures appeared before them; Dorian stood in the drive, with Koko and Cottla on either side of him. While the expressions of his daughters' showed visible pain and exhaustion, Dorian's was back to his usual, fierce gaze as he regarded Link. Without a word, Link pressed his beer into Aryll's hand, leaving the group to make his way to Dorian.

"The Yiga Clan is done," Dorian said. "You won't have to worry about them ever again."

Link said nothing in response. He had his hands in his pockets as he looked toward the horizon.

Dorian's voice - along with his gaze - softened when he spoke again. "The casualties are being brought back to the city." He hesitated. "What do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do?" Link repeated. His brows furrowed as he glanced at Dorian. After a moment, he bit his lip and pulled his gaze away. "I don't care what you do."

Dorian frowned. "I know this isn't easy -"

"He already has a damn grave," Link muttered. "I don't… I don't care what you do."

"How can you say that?"

Link and Dorian turned toward Aryll's voice. She stood before them, her cheeks wet with fresh tears.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye!"

Link pulled his gaze away.

"I want to see him," she said softly. "I want to see Dad."

Link couldn't bring himself to say anything further. To his relief, Dorian stepped in.

"I'll take care of everything," he said. He turned away from them. "Get yourselves home." And in another snap, the three Sheikah disappeared.

Aryll turned to argue with her brother, but before she could speak, he strode away from her, disappearing into the house once more. Aryll stood alone, staring after him. She didn't move even as the others approached her.

"What happened?" she asked softly, to no one in particular. She started to grow angry with him. "It's just like last time," she blurted out. "I mean, I know I was like, eleven, but still! He didn't say a damn thing to me! No explanation; nothing!" She started to cry again. "I'm just supposed to accept that he's gone? I don't even get to say goodbye?"

"You can," Mipha said. She pulled Aryll into her arms and let her cry on her shoulder.

"He was protecting us," Revali said. "Protecting Link."

Aryll quieted for a moment. She pulled away from Mipha and wiped her hands across her eyes. "He did it," she whispered. Her brows furrowed. "I… I suspected… I didn't think… it would come to that."

"Come to what?" Urbosa asked.

She shook her head. "I don't… It doesn't matter." She regarded her brother's friends - her friends, and sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Can we go home, now?"

It was getting late in the evening when they found themselves back in the city where they each made their separate ways for the night. Aryll was the first out of the car when they pulled into the driveway, all too excited to be home. But when she stumbled through the door into the darkened house, her heart stopped. She stood in the doorway, staring into the darkness, not moving even when Link and Mipha stood behind her. After a moment, her hand dropped from the door knob, and she stepped inside without turning on a light.

Link hesitantly trailed in after her, taking a moment to look around. Het met his sister's gaze, and her shoulders fell.

"This… doesn't feel like home anymore." She pulled her gaze away and let herself drop into one of the chairs. She stared at the table. "What the hell do we do, now?"

Link sucked in a breath to steady himself, and smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Well, you get to go back to school in a couple of weeks."

Aryll's eyes widened. "Fuck," she muttered. "I spent half my summer on the damn run?" She turned and sneered at her brother. "And you expect me to just go back to school like nothing fucking happened?"

"Hey," Link snapped. "If I had to do it, you have to do it."

Aryll slouched in the chair and frowned. "Right," she said. "It's like… nothing changed." Tears began to well in her eyes once more. "How is anyone supposed to live like this?" she sobbed.

"Well, I drink," Link offered, but by the look his sister gave him, it was clear she did not find him funny.

But Aryll was starting to realize the burden her brother carried, and the pain he endured through the years. It explained so much, of course, which only made her fear for their future. Would her brother fall into that same dark pit again?

Link could practically see her thoughts as the emotions flashed across her face. He dropped into the chair beside her and took her hand. When she met his gaze, he smiled.

"I could go for some pizza," he said.

Aryll stared at him blankly for a moment, then a smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah," she said. "Me too."

Mipha sat across from them, her chin in her hand, and sighed. "You haven't had enough pizza these last few weeks?" she said, slightly irate.

"It's an essential part of a teenagers diet," Aryll confirmed.

"It's got a serving of veggies," Link confirmed.

"Dairy in the cheese," Aryll added.

"Throw on some bacon," Link continued.

"Don't forget the dough."

"Alright," Mipha sneered. She shook her head and smiled. "Pizza it is."

Aryll stood from the table as Mipha called in their order. She moved to the light switch on the wall, then frowned when she flipped it and the room remained dark.

"Yeah, see," Link started. "I've been too busy to pay the electric bill, so they probably shut off our power."

"We've hit a new low," Aryll said. "Pizza in the dark."

"Do you think I can get my old job back?" Link asked thoughtfully.

"I don't know," Aryll started. "But I have a feeling if we were able to watch the news, you would not be painted in a good light."

Link shrugged. He pulled out his phone and proceeded to look over all the bills that had been missed, and frowned. "You didn't want to take a shower any time soon, did you?"

Aryll sat back at the table with a sigh. "Before school starts up again?"

Mipha took his phone from him. "I think I owe you rent, anyway," she said casually.

"I think you owe me -" He stopped himself short, glancing toward Aryll. She made a look of disgust at him.

"Please shut up," she begged him. "I still live here, you know."

"There," Mipha said. She slid the phone back to Link. "I'm sure power will be back on tomorrow."

"It's a good thing you smartened up and made up with her," Aryll said. "I don't think we'd survive without her."

"You're both hopeless," Mipha said.

"I'd be fine," Aryll said. "Link, not so much." She folded her arms across her chest. "Don't plan on having babies with his pathetic ass. He'd drop it on its head in a week."

"For the record," Link started. "I took care of you when you were a baby."

"And look how I turned out," she said.

"You're alive, aren't you?"

She sighed, but smiled. "Like nothing has changed."


	47. Chapter 47

It was early in the afternoon the next day when the Champions found themselves gathered together inside the palace. They kept inside the walls of the palace, away from the crowd and reporters, as Zelda held a press conference. Link, however, paid no mind to the coverage on the tv screen, and instead searched for his sister, somewhere within those same walls. It didn't take long to find her, having a good hunch of where she would be.

He stood in the doorway of the small temple inside the palace, his hands shoved in his pockets. He watched as Aryll stood over their father. Though she spoke softly to him, her voice carried.

"Anyway," she said. She paused to sniff and wipe at her tears. "I dunno. Maybe it's dumb. But I just wanted a chance to say goodbye this time." She shrugged. "No one else ever gets a second chance like we did. Only you would manage to pull something like that off." She smiled to herself, then after a moment, she sighed shakily. "Thank you for coming back," she whispered. "I wouldn't change that for the world. Link, either, I know. You guys..." She chuckled lightly. "You guys are both so damn stubborn. I guess there's a lot of you there. So, that's not so bad." She forced a smile. "I know you'd be like, making a stupid joke right now or something." She paused. "I know we'll be okay. You made sure of that." She allowed the tears to roll down her cheeks. "And don't worry. I won't burn anymore books." She hesitated, holding back a sob. "I love you, Daddy." After a moment, her ears twitched, and she turned her gaze to the ceiling and smiled.

She noticed her brother then, and turned toward him. She offered him a smile as he approached her. He stood at her side when he reached her, but his gaze was fixed on the casket in the front of the room.

"Do you resent me?" he asked quietly.

Aryll's brows furrowed. "What? No. Why would you ask that?"

"Because everything's my fault."

"Why would you say that?"

"I didn't… I could have… prevented this."

Aryll wrapped her arms around her brother. He stiffened in her hold.

"It's not your fault," she said softly. "I know it's not."

Link's shoulders dropped and he wrapped his arms around his sister. "Okay," he said simply.

Aryll pulled back and met his gaze. "Don't you believe me?"

Link forced a smile. "Yeah."

Aryll raised a brow. "Really?"

Link sighed tiredly. "Yes, Aryll."

Aryll smiled. "Good." She made her way out of the room, not bothering to check to see if her brother was following her. "I think we should get pizza again tonight. This time, I'm thinking a veggie lovers."

Link turned his gaze back to the casket. He remained standing in the middle of the room, his hands back in his pockets. It felt strange to be back in the city, as if all that had happened over the last couple of months was just a distant dream. He didn't particularly feel any better about being home and instead found himself wishing he were back at the ranch. Despite it all, at the ranch, everything felt right, even if for just brief moments. Aryll happily grooming the horses. His father smoking a cigarette against the fence as his daughter pressed for a ride. Staring at his father's casket didn't necessarily make his death feel any more real, but it made those small moments more concrete in his mind. And he smiled.

Aryll was right. They were given a second chance. And despite how they were torn apart once more, he wouldn't have traded those moments for anything in the world. He tore his gaze away, turned around, and followed Aryll back into the hall where she waited just around the corner with the rest of their friends.

"Who knew she'd be so comfortable making speeches," Daruk said.

"I knew," Revali said with a nod. "This is Zelda, we're talking about. All she ever does is lecture us and make speeches."

"Are you guys leaving, now?" Aryll asked with a frown.

Revali draped an arm around her shoulders. "Not me, kiddo. I've still gotta recruit your brother to work for me." He looked up, meeting Link's gaze, and gave him a wink.

"I already moved in, and out, and in again," Mipha said. "I don't plan on going anywhere for a long time."

"I was actually thinking about moving back for a while," Urbosa said thoughtfully. "You know, in case Revali really does need a lawyer."

"Oh, so I'm the asshole that's not going to stay?" Daruk said.

"Pretty much," Revali confirmed.

"You're breaking us up, man!" Aryll scolded him.

Daruk sighed. "You guys have never been to Eldin," he said. "It rocks over there."

"I never thought I'd say this," Revali started, "But I'm going to Kit's bar. Guess it's time to be a regular there."

"Kit has a bar?" Urbosa asked with a grin. "Jeez, he never talked about it."

They turned as footsteps rounded the corner and Zelda greeted them with a tired smile.

"We're going drinking, apparently," Daruk said. "You coming?"

"I don't think so," Zelda said with a frown.

"This is it," Revali said. "This is where she leaves us to be a boring queen."

Zelda offered an apologetic smile.

"Ah, we don't need her," he continued, waving her off. "Let's go."

"Have fun," Urbosa said. "Zelda and I have our own plans."

"Whatever," Revali grumbled.

"I'll meet you there," Link said. There was still something else he had to do. Someone else he wanted to see. He parted from his friends, wandering the palace halls aimlessly until he rounded the corner to the temple once more. The doors were closed, now, and two guards stood on either side of it. A third person - and just the person he wanted to see - stood in front of the doors.

Dorian stared at the closed doors, his face torn in grief and regret. It took him a moment to notice Link's presence, but when he did, he turned to him. His expression hardened once more, offering him no greeting, and he watched as Link approached him.

"What's up?" he asked simply.

"I, uh just wanted to apologize. For not trusting you."

Dorian seemed to study him carefully. He pulled his gaze away. "That's not necessary," he said. "I did nothing to earn your trust. You had no reason to trust me."

"But Dad did," Link said. "And that should have been enough for me."

Dorian said nothing.

"And," Link continued. "I wanted to say thanks. For everything you did for him, and for us."

"Ah, don't thank me," he said, his shoulders dropping slightly. "I only did it because your father would have killed me otherwise."

"Right," Link said. The corner of his lip pulled into a crooked smile. "Like he could have killed a Sheikah."

"You underestimate him," Dorian said. "He was terrifying when he wanted to be." He turned his gaze back to Link. "Is that all?"

Link raised a brow. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Well, no offense, but you've been my problem for the last twenty-six years."

"Right." Link's lips pulled into a small smile. He put his hands in his pockets and turned away. "See you around, D." He could practically feel Dorian's furious gaze on him as he walked away and rounded the corner.

To his surprise, Kit's bar was lined with bodies. As expected, Daurk, Revali, Mipha, and Aryll were there, along with Teba and even Sera. They took up a majority of the bar seating while the rest of the room remained relatively empty, one other patron sitting alone at a booth in the corner. They all turned to see who had come through the door, and upon seeing Link, Sera jumped to her feet and ran to pull him into a hug.

"For fuck's sake, Link," she barked at him. She pushed away at arm's length and looked him over. "Please tell me all of Kit's wild ass stories aren't true."

"They probably are," Link said. He stepped around her, ignoring her angry gaze, and joined his friends at the bar, sitting himself beside Mipha.

"You didn't believe me," Kit said. "Why else do you think I've been MIA? I've been helping his sorry ass!"

Sera returned to her seat at the bar, her head shaking. She glanced at Link. "For real?"

Link shrugged. "He was an annoying presence," he said simply.

"If it weren't for me -"

"If It weren't for you," Mipha sneered, "he wouldn't have run off on some suicide mission."

"But then he wouldn't have found Dad," Aryll pointed out.

"Oh, that guy would have found you one way or another," Revali said.

"Wait," Sera started. "You left out that part." She sneered at Kit.

Kit cleaned an empty glass absentmindedly. "It's a touchy subject right now."

Sera frowned. She turned back to Link. "So, now what?"

"Do you think I can get my job back?" Link asked.

"You defeated the entire Yiga Clan, and you're worried about getting your job back?" Sera stared at him in shock.

"Heroes gotta get paid," Link reminded her.

"Oy." She pressed a finger to her temple, then sighed. "The office has been pretty boring without you." She opted to turn her attention to Aryll, and smiled. "Are you going to make it through your last year of high school? Or is Link going to have to bust you out of jail or something?"

Aryll shrugged. "We'll see how I feel come September," she said with a grin.

"Does that attitude run in the family?" Sera asked.

"Yes," Link and Aryll both confirmed.

Sera smiled.

"Refill?" Kit pointed down the line of patrons seated at the bar. When he got to Link, he skipped over him, and pointed at Aryll. His gaze narrowed for a moment on her, then shrugged.

"Beer, or fruity drink?"

"Beer," Aryll confirmed.

"Do you want to lose your license?" Sera sneered.

Kit straightened and spread his arm out before him, indicating the very empty bar, then laughed. "Like I have one of those." He turned to fetch their drinks, speaking once more when he returned. "Besides. Girl could use a drink or two right now." He handed Aryll a bottle and winked at her.

"You're a good man," Aryll said. "A gentleman and a scholar."

"She's drunk," Revali said.

"Hey, fuck you."

Link peered at his sister curiously. "How many have you had?"

Aryll held the bottle up proudly. "One."

"And before I got here?"

"Three!"

"What a lightweight," Revali said.

"You didn't learn your lesson last time?"

Aryll slunk back in her seat.

"Oh, shit," Kit said, remembering what had happened last time. "I can't encourage that behavior." He moved to take the bottle from her.

"I'll be good!" Aryll said. "I'll pass high school and everything! I deserve this drink!"

"That's how it starts, you know," Kit warned. "Your brother is an expert."

Aryll frowned. She turned her gaze to the bottle in her hand. When her brother patted her head with his hand, she met his gaze.

"You are smarter than me, remember?"

"This is true," she confirmed. She lifted the bottle as if in toast, and drank.

The man that sat alone stood at that moment and mosied over to the bar, pushing himself between Link and Aryll.

"Son of a bitch," he said, looking Link over. He held a card between his fingers and handed it to Kit. "They're drinks are on me."

Kit eyed him carefully. "Sure," he said with a one shouldered shrug. "You'll regret that."

The man leaned against the counter. "I don't think so," he said with a grin. "So, Rusl really did find himself a chick and a couple of kids."

Link narrowed his gaze on him. "Excuse me?"

"I grew up with him," he said. "At Telma's. I'm Karsen."

"Telma's?" Aryll echoed. Karsen turned his attention to her. "Were you guys like, foster brothers or something?"

Karsen made a look of disgust and laughed. "I guess so. Shit, last time I talked to him was almost thirty years ago."

"He never talked about you," Aryll said frankly.

Karsen smiled. "I'm sure he didn't talk about any of it," he said.

Aryll considered this. "Yeah. That's true."

"Camilla's been up my ass about finding you two," he said.

"Camilla?" Aryll raised a brow.

"Telma's daughter, that old hag." He straightened and took his phone out of his pocket. "I dunno. She promised Telma she'd give you some shit Telma had been holding on to. Said Rusl wanted you to have it." He showed his phone to Link, a number displayed on the screen. "Give her a call, I guess. I did my part."

"Stalking us?" Aryll asked, narrowing her gaze.

"Well, it's not that hard when the entire kingdom is hearing about some shit with this Yiga Clan." He shrugged. "I always knew Rusl was living in the city. Figured it was likely you were still here. Once I started seeing all that shit on the news, I decided to come around and see if I could track you down." He let Aryll take the phone from him, and he wiped his hands together. "I did my part. That's all I came for."

After taking down the number, Aryll handed the phone back to him. "Where are you going?"

Karsen smiled and pocketed his phone. "I dunno," he said. "I usually just wander around and see where life takes me."

Aryll raised a skeptical brow. "Right. You're weird."

"And you are totally Rusl's daughter." His grin widened and he turned away from them. "See ya later."

Revali watched him leave, his gaze suspicious. "What the fuck was that about?"

"I'm gonna call," Aryll said, jumping to her feet.

"No, you're not," Link sneered.

"Aw, come on," she whined. "I wanna see what stuff Dad had laying around." Her face brightened. "Maybe we have an inheritance!"

"Unlikely," Link said.

"Never know unless we call," she said, already dialing the number. She tapped her foot as she waited, then beamed when a voice answered. "Camilla? Karsen gave me this number."

"Bless Hylia," Camilla's voice said. "If it isn't little Aryll."


	48. Chapter 48

"Tell me again why you're dragging me out here in the middle of fucking Faron?" Link hissed at his sister.

"Because," Aryll started excitedly. "We're gonna meet Camilla and get our money!"

"There won't be any money," Link said dryly. He winced as Aryll hit a pothole. "Watch it!"

"Hey, I'm driving," she barked.

"Do you even know where you're going?"

"Yes," Aryll said. "That's why I'm driving."

Link settled back against the seat and sighed. "What if she's crazy? What if this is all a trap?"

Aryll gave her brother a skeptical look. "A trap? To what? Give us warm cookies and milk? That's what old ladies do."

"Maybe Telma was on team Yiga," Link said. "And Cremia is the last remaining one, and she's going to kidnap us, take the Triforce from me, and -"

"Dude," Aryll cut him off. "Fucking chill. For the love of Hylia!" She checked the GPS on her phone, then slowed in front of an old, Victorian styled house. She perked up, grinning, and pulled into the drive. "This is it." She cut the engine, then bounced out of the car excitedly and up the stairs, not waiting for her brother to follow. She knocked three times on the door, then glanced at Link over her shoulder as he begrudgingly followed behind her.

"This is -"

But the door opened, cutting him off. An older, dark skinned woman stood before them, her dark, salt and pepper hair pulled back in a large bun. Camilla put a hand on her hip and smiled. "Well, if you ain't a sight," she said. "You look just like 'im." She gestured for them to enter, stepping aside as they cautiously crossed the threshold. "I'm glad you both came by," she started. "Your father made me promise to give you some stuff."

"What kinda stuff?" Aryll asked curiously.

"I honestly don't know," she said. She walked through the old house, gesturing for them to follow her. She spoke as she lead them through the large house. "But, a promise is a promise, hm?" She laughed lightly. "You know, your father was always my mother's favorite," she said. "I was so sorry to hear what happened to him." She stopped at a door and pushed it open. The walls of the room were lined with boxes stacked on top of one another. They were all clearly labeled with various names and dates.

"Telma was so attached to the kids that came to her," she continued. She started to sift through the boxes casually, selecting a few of the photos that were contained inside and smiling at them. "She shared in all their joys and triumphs, and all their failures and pain." She laughed lightly. "Sometimes, it seemed she liked them more than me, her own daughter." She frowned. "We lost too many too young. She always felt like she had failed them when that happened." She moved across the room and looked through a few more boxes before selecting one to place in the middle of the room. On it, the name 'Rusl' was scribbled on the side.

Aryll opened it and looked through the photos, smiling down at them. Some of them were of when their father was much younger, playing with some of the other boys in the barn, or chasing after chickens. There were many of him riding bareback on various horses, or playing with them in their paddocks.

"He really took a liking to the horses," she explained. "So much so, that Telma promised to let him ride and give him lessons if he worked hard enough. And he did. And whenever he got his free time, he would jump right on and take off." She laughed. "I always told Mum that one day, he'd never come back. But he always did. He took care of those horses like they were his kids. He made sure they were nice and cooled off, fed and happy before he went right back to do his chores."

"He never really talked about Telma," Aryll said with a frown. She held a picture in her hand of some young kids gathered around a woman who she assumed to be Telma. "Why was he in foster care?"

"Both his parents spent a lot of time in and out of jail," she said. "Drugs and the like. He was a troublemaker himself when he came to Telma. At that point, he had been bounced around to a few different places. He was a rotten kid when he was younger." She laughed. "Goddesses, how he would torment me. I was in high school when he came around, and he just loved to scare off my boyfriends."

"That seems so unlike him," Aryll said.

"I guess he didn't turn out to be so bad," Camilla said. "Mum always hoped for that." She reached into a box and pulled out a disc, then smiled. "She was obsessed with documenting everything." She slipped the disk into a player, then turned on a small tv screen in the room. "She tried to take some videos before he joined the army. Before he left, she gave 'em all a day off. A little send-off party, I s'pose." She played the video. A young boy's face appeared, his brows knit together angrily.

"Say somethin' nice, Karsen," Telma's voice said.

Karsen grinned. "Hey, Rusl. Kill all those fuckers dead! Kill 'em all, man!" He made a head sawing motion with his hand.

"That's that same guy?" Aryll muttered. "Yikes."

"Lovely," Telma said dryly. "Where did I go wrong with you, you twisted little child?"

Karsen's grin widened. "And come back soon and get me outta here, man! Telma's gonna make me go crazy!"

The video darkened for a moment, then a younger Rusl came into view. He looked at the camera with an annoyed and exasperated expression.

"Can you please stop with that thing?"

"Never," Telma said. "I'm gonna need something to show those kids of yours someday."

Rusl rolled his eyes and moved his hand to block the camera's view. "Right," he muttered.

The camera lowered, giving them a view of the ground.

"Hey," Telma started. "Don't you keep running away. I know you're scared, 'unnie. But you are not just a pawn in a war that waits on our horizon. You are so much more, Rusl. And that boy - he's gonna be the greatest thing in your life, hero or not. His future - his destiny - none of it will matter, because he will be your son, and I know you will do everything for him. But don't think you're doing him any favors by running from him. Don't try to stop him from coming into your life. You need him. And he needs you. Understand? And when he comes around, you better let me meet him. You hear me?"

Rusl was hesitant. "Yeah, Telma. I will."

The camera shifted, then the screen turned dark.

Aryll frowned. "I wish we could have met her."

"Me too," Camilla said. "She would have loved on you more than me." She grinned at them, then removed the disk from the player.

Aryll continued to sift through the box until she came across a small bag. "What's this?" She held up the bag, inspecting it. Inside was a small card that she recognized.

Camilla peered at it curiously. "Dunno," she said with a shrug. "Nothing I've seen before."

"It goes in a phone," Aryll said, already taking it out and inserting it into her own phone. She tapped on the screen and opened the file. A twenty year-old Rusl's face appeared, his brows furrowed.

"Hey, Kid," his voice started. "You're not around yet. Who knows when you'll come around." He grinned. "I don't even have a girlfriend. So, you know, that's going well." His face turned serious. "Unless you're like, really young when you're watching this, then use protection and shit." His face softened. "But hopefully you're not young. Because you shouldn't be seeing this until after I'm gone." He hesitated, then cleared his throat. "Look, this is where I grew up."

The camera moved around as he stepped outside, giving them a view of Telma's farm. "I promised Telma I'd let her meet you. I guess this is as close as it gets." The camera turned back to face him. "Anyway. Going through all her shit made me realize she wasn't as crazy as she seemed, sometimes. And, I dunno. I felt like I should leave you with something. Because one thing's for sure; there's a lot you're not gonna know. About me, about you. About this fucked up destiny that's been thrust upon us." He sighed. "I'm not telling you any of it. You don't need to know. You have enough shit to deal with then to know the truth about me." He shrugged. "But I guess I can't leave you with nothing, either. Unanswered questions and shit. I know that would drive me crazy. But you need to understand that there's a reason I couldn't tell you this before, when I'm… was… alive. Because if you're anything like me, you'll try to stop it. You'll try to save me. And that can't happen." He paused for a moment before continuing.

"See… we all serve a purpose in this life, I guess. And mine is to bring you into this world… and leave. As long as I'm alive, you will never be able to access the full power of the Triforce." He shook his head. "For reasons D tried to explain to me. Hylia's power is weakening, blah blah blah. I'm sure you'll learn some of this. I'll tell you as much as I can, when I can. I won't leave you in the dark about everything. But the point is, if you're going to be able to save the world, I will need to die. I've known this for a while. Well, I've had my suspicions, anyway. I've accepted it. Because even though you don't even exist yet, and I don't even know when you will." He hesitated. "I love the crap outta ya. I will do anything and everything for you, especially to give you a normal a life as possible. I never got that. Not that I was born a hero destined to save the world or anything. But you deserve better than the crap I went through. You know, a father who's actually around. I'll give you everything that I can. I just want you to understand why things will happen - or, happened - the way that they will, or did, or something. I'll give my life for you, kid, hero or not. It doesn't matter to me who you are. That's why I can accept this, I guess. Because I'd do it in a heartbeat. Again and again and again. Anything to give you the life you deserve. Hopefully, a life of peace and happiness. And I know you won't accept it. That's why I can't - couldn't - tell you. I'm sorry that this is the way it has to be, but I know you'll be fine. If I can survive this shit, you can, too. You've got a lot more going for you than I do, anyway." His gaze moved beyond the camera as he looked over the farm.

"I guess she was right. I need you. I just hope everything I do will be enough." His gaze moved back to the camera, and he shrugged. "Alright, well, I guess that's it, then. You know the truth. Don't be mad at me. I did what I had to do. Just know that. Everything I'll ever do in this life is for you." He smiled. "And that's all I've ever wanted, really, so it's okay. Okay?" He paused. "I love you, kid. I'll see you soon."

The video ended.

Aryll stared at her phone until the screen darkened. She jumped when her brother got to his feet, and he abruptly left the room.

Link stormed outside angrily. Leave it to his father to bring secrets to his damn grave. He was furious at him for not telling him the truth. Of course he wouldn't have let his father make such a sacrifice. If he had just been honest with him, they could have found another way. His father could have still been alive.

But he was right. As Link looked back at the battle that had taken place only a week ago, his father was right. Link didn't stand a damn chance against the Yiga. Not without the Master Sword. And certainly not without the full power of the Triforce. Surely, if there was anything he could have done to bring that power forth sooner, Impa would have trained him for that. She would have beat the power out of him. Despite it all, Impa knew what of their destinies. She knew how to prepare them for the approaching war. Which meant that she knew Link would not be able to use his power like Zelda could, so she had to compensate in other ways.

There was nothing he could have done. As long as his father remained alive, he would not have been able to access that power that allowed him to stop Kohga once and for all, and he would have failed to protect Hyrule. To protect Aryll. To protect his friends. Which was all he really wanted to do. Just as his father only wanted to protect him.

He cursed loudly and kicked at the tire of the car. It didn't matter how much he justified in, or how logically he looked at the situation; he was still furious. He never wanted anyone to have to sacrifice their lives for him, his father most of all. But he wasn't angry with his father. He was angry that he was the one to be thrust into such a destiny. That his father had to pay the price, regardless of whether he wanted to or not. Why in the hell did it have to be him? And who else would have to die so that Hyrule could stay safe? He couldn't do it anymore; he couldn't fight another war. For the love of Hylia, let it all be over with…

He turned to the house as Aryll stepped outside. Her eyes were wet, but she regarded Link fiercely, her phone in her hand.

"There's something else on here," she said. Her brows furrowed. "It looks like info to a bank account. There's a phone number on it, too."

Link moved to her side and peered at the information on her screen. Curiously, he dialed the number and gave the account number to the woman on the line.

"Ah, yes, here we are," she said, her voice light and cheery. "This account is fully mature. It looks like it opened up for you just a couple of weeks ago, and will remain open until you wish to close it. Would you like the money wired over to you now, Link?"

"Money?" Link echoed. "What money? How much is in there?"

"Your account balance is one million, two hundred -"

The phone dropped from Link's hand. He stared at it, his mouth gaping.

"Link? What's wrong?" When her brother did not respond, Aryll picked up the phone. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the voice said. "I can only speak to the holder of the account."

"Of course," she sneered. She glanced at her brother, still seemingly in shock, though he met her gaze. "Link's gonna have to call you back." She ended the call and handed him the phone, her brows knit together. "What is it?"

"There's… over a million…"

"A million?" Aryll shrieked. "I knew it! An inheritance!" She jumped up and down excitedly. "Oh my Goddesses. I can go to college?"

"He fucking robbed a bank," Link muttered. He turned to his sister. "Where the fuck would he have gotten that kind of money?"

Aryll frowned. "I can't go to college using dirty money." She hesitated. "Do you really think he stole it?"

"Well," Link started slowly. "Either that, or he was a drug lord." He shrugged. "Maybe he was a serial killer who harvested and sold organs on the black market. Or sold secrets to the Yiga Clan. Or -"

"Yeah, alright," Aryll snapped. "He wouldn't have done any of those things." Her gaze softened. "What are you going to do?"

Link met her gaze. "I don't know," he said slowly. "What would you do with that much money?"

"Send me to college! Buy me a car! Pay the damn electric bill!"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "You have to graduate high school, first."

"Alright," Aryll pressed. "I'm gonna graduate, okay? Jeez, Link! Give me my money!"

"Right," he said. "When you graduate and figure out what the hell you want to do, then we can talk."

Camilla appeared in the doorway, her gaze hesitant. "So, I love my mother and all, but I can't keep holdin' on to this shit. You want it?"

Aryll took the steps two at a time as she bounded to Camilla's side. "Yes," she said quickly. "Give me." She grinned up at Camilla. "Thanks for tracking us down."

"Ah, well," Camilla started. "It's the least I could have done for Rusl's kids."


	49. Chapter 49

Link slid into the stool beside Dorian. It was by no means five o'clock, so it came as a surprise when Cottla told him where to find her father. He never picked him to be a barfly, but he was the last person to judge. It had been a few weeks since he and Aryll found Cremia, and thus discovered their strange inheritance, and since then, Link found himself at a loss with what to do with the money. Since then, he had picked up his job again, thanks to Sera, and before long, Aryll had returned to school to begin her final year in high school. Everything was relatively back to normal, and despite all that had happened, Link felt like he had his life in control. Still, he couldn't help but to feel a strange emptiness when he was home, which brought him to the decision that it was time to move on with their lives, for better or for worse. He had to leave the place he once called home and start a new life for himself.

"I heard you met Camilla," Dorian said, not looking at him as he sat.

"Where did he get the money?" Link asked, his gaze hard on Dorian.

But Dorian only smiled, not meeting his gaze. "Don't spend it all at once," he said cryptically.

"I'm not taking it," Link hissed. "Not unless I know where it came from."

"Why does it have to come from anywhere?" Dorian said. "He's had that thing around for a long time."

"Nobody has that kind of money," Link said. "Not unless you're the damn king of Hyrule."

Dorian shrugged. "Heroes need to get paid. You said so yourself. Your father saw to it that you would get just that."

"And I'm supposed to just accept that?"

"Yes," Dorian said simply. "If you don't want it, I'll put it to good use."

"Yeah, right," Link said. He sighed.

"Just take it and be grateful," Dorian said. "It's what he would have wanted."

Link looked down at the counter for a moment. When the bartender came by for his order, Link shook his head.

Dorain turned his gaze to Link. He stared at him for a moment, longer than he intended. When Link met his gaze, he turned away.

Link's brows furrowed. "What?"

Dorian smiled. "Nothing," he said at first. "I forget how much you look like him."

Link turned away, but said nothing.

"We sat at a lot of bars together," Dorian continued. "It kind of felt like that for a second."

"I wouldn't have picked you for a bar guy."

Dorian chuckled. "I wasn't." He shrugged. "What are you doing here, anyway? Did you just come to give me shit?"

"Yes," Link started. "Among other things."

Dorian raised a brow.

"I decided to sell the house," he said. "Once Aryll graduates, we're leaving the city."

Dorian simply nodded.

"Don't worry," he started. "I'll be sure to come by once in a while to bug you."

Dorian smiled. "Right."

"And I got more shit than I need to take with me," he continued. He pulled an envelope out of the inside pocket of his jacket. "I thought you might want these." He passed it to Dorian with a shrug. "We have plenty, and I don't care for your ugly mug."

Dorian opened the envelope and pulled out the photos inside. The image on top showed a young Rusl and Dorian. They both had a beer in hand and were dressed in their uniforms. Rusl was flipping the camera the bird while Dorian seemed to be mid eyeroll. He smiled down at the picture, then proceeded to flip through them. There were various other pictures, including some of him and his wife, and all three of them together. There was even one of Rusl with Dorian's daughters. Cottla was on his shoulders, though he was crouched down on Koko's level while she tried to get at her younger sister.

"Who knew he was such a sucker for kids?" Link said.

"I called him out on that once," Dorian said. He frowned. "He punched me."

Link turned away. He studied the bottles on the shelves behind the bar. "I know everything," he said softly. "I know that he… he didn't plan on coming back."

Dorian was quiet for a moment. His voice was soft when he spoke. "There was nothing you could have done. You never would have been able to utilize your full power as long as he lived. It has been that way since the very beginning. The spirit of the hero manifests only in the one worthy of the Triforce. The one with extraordinary qualities that make a hero. And, in turn, it takes two extraordinary people to bring such a being into the world. A part of that spirit rest within your parents. And as long as that part of the hero was there, you would be unable to utilize your full power, especially without the aid of the Master Sword. It has been that way for each and every hero before you and will continue on. That's just the way it is."

Link looked down at the counter. "I wish… it didn't have to be that way."

Dorian glanced at him. "I know." He sighed. "For what it's worth, I was on your side. I tried to stop him."

Link's lips pulled into a small smile. "And all this time, I thought you weren't on my side."

"Yeah, well." Dorian sighed. "I have a lot of regrets. But everything I did was to keep you and Aryll safe. And, once in a while, keep your damn father alive. Hylia knows he didn't make that easy for me."

"Yeah. I know." He stood and turned to Dorian. "Well, thanks for everything. That's all I wanted to say."

"Sure."

"See you around, D."

"Don't call me that," he sneered.

Link grinned and left him alone in the bar.

To his dismay, there were two extra women in his house when he returned home. Aryll, Mipha, Cremia, and Anju were sitting around the table, each with their own bowl of ice cream, and Cremia was in mid sob as she spoke to her friends. She paused when Link entered, then seemed to forget about whatever crisis she was facing, beaming at Link cheerfully.

"Well, look who it is," she said in greeting.

"So," Anju started. "Are we done talking about the bastard that cheated on you?"

Cremia sighed and put her chin in her hand. "This is not how I planned on spending my first day as a senior," she said.

"I'm sorry you couldn't fuck in the bathroom," Aryll said dryly. "But you'll have all year to be disgusting."

"Please," Cremia said. "I'm classier than that."

"I don't think you are," Anju said.

"I missed this," Cremia said. "I'm glad you're not mysteriously on the lam anymore."

"Yeah," Anju started. "So, you're really not going to explain that, like, at all?"

"I told you," Aryll insisted. "We were on… vacation."

"You went on vacation," Cremia started, "with your brother and his girlfriend?" She grinned at Link. "What a buzzkill." She then turned her attention to Mipha. "You could have dumped her on us."

"Why?" Link started. "So you could get drunk and crash another car?"

Cremia slouched in her chair. "Oh, you remember that, huh?"

"You're lucky we went on vacation after that," Aryll said with a grin. "He would have gone all Hulk on you, otherwise."

"Hulk?" Anju echoed.

Aryll dismissed her with a wave of her hand. She put a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. "So, how are we getting revenge on that dick?" she asked, changing the subject. "You can't let this first day define the rest of the year. You gotta put him in his place and make him regret the day he was ever born."

"You are in the perfect place to destroy his entire senior year," Anju added in agreement. "We have to take advantage of that."

"Wow," Link muttered. "Is that what women really do?"

"You should have seen what we came up with when you and Mipha were broken up," Aryll said casually.

Link glanced at Mipha, and she shook her head, but grinned.

"She's pretty twisted," Aryll said. "I wouldn't piss her off if I were you."

"Trust me," Link started. "I know."

"Anyway," Aryll continued. "We gotta make this year epic. Really go out with a bang."

"Not a car crash," Link added.

Aryll ignored her brother. "Because after this, I'm ditching this joint."

Anju frowned. "You guys are really moving out of the city?"

Aryll nodded. "Well, they are. I haven't decided where I'm going, yet. I've got my pick of colleges."

"Remind me how that happened, again?" Cremia asked suspiciously. "Last year, you were pretty sure you weren't going to college."

"I changed my mind," Aryll said. "I'll earn some money stripping or something. That was the plan all along, really."

"Makes sense," Cremia confirmed with a nod.

"Or," Anju started. "Hear me out. Scholarships." She grinned.

"Well, sure, there's that," Aryll said. "But I liked my plan, better."

"So, are we getting pizza?" Link asked in a desperate attempt to change the subject. "I'm thinking pepperoni?"

"I don't want to look at another pizza for the rest of my life," Mipha sneered at him. "I am so sick of pizza!"

"We need a divorce," Link said.

"I can't believe she just said that," Aryll said with a grin. "Next thing you know, she'll tell us we can't have peanut butter and banana sandwiches."

"You are both hopeless," Mipha said, shaking her head. She took the empty bowls. "Don't you have a summer project to do?" she asked Aryll.

"Yes, mother," Aryll hissed.

"How come you got an extension?" Cremia whined.

"I met special circumstances," Aryll said simply.

"Your month long vacation is a special circumstance?" Cremia raised a skeptical brow at her.

"I don't think they were on vacation," Anju said.

"Probably witness protection or something," Cremia said, rolling her eyes.

Aryll laughed. "Right. That's it." She stood. "Are you going to help me bullshit this project or what?"

Cremia sighed. "So, I guess we're done talking about me?"

"You're never done talking about you," Anju said dryly.

"We'll come up with our revenge plan while we work."

"You know," Cremia started. "I did my project. Why should I have to help you?"

"You called that a project?" Anju said. "It was pathetic."

"You're gonna help me because you almost killed me," Aryll reminded her.

"I could have died, too, you know." Still, she followed Aryll and Anju upstairs, leaving Mipha and Link alone in the kitchen.

"I don't remember high school being that dramatic."

"We were too busy fighting Ganondorf's minions," Link said. "We had our own drama."

Mipha smiled. "Wow. I feel really, really old. I can't believe that was like, ten years ago."

"Yeah," Link started. "I think I'm already getting gray hairs." He pulled at a few strands. "This one is Aryll, and this one is Mipha. And look, here's a bunch more Arylls. Hm. Way more Arylls than there are Ganondorfs."

Mipha pushed his arm playfully. "You know," she started. "It will be nice to finally have a house to ourselves."

"Where should we go?" Link asked. He grinned. "The world is our oyster."


	50. Chapter 50

10 months later...

"I don't see why I'm moving my stuff in here when I'm just going to have to move back out in like, two months." Aryll carried one of the boxes in her arms, placing it carefully on the front porch. "This is more moving than I want to do."

"At least you weren't dragged into helping," Revali said. He stopped next to her and put his own box down. "I don't even live here. Why am I helping?"

Urbosa moved passed them with two boxes in her own arms. She sneered down at them. "The boxes go in the house," she said to them. "Not on the porch."

Aryll straightened and stretched her back. "I almost don't want to leave here," she said. "Going to college is going to suck, now."

"Please leave," Link said, carrying a box up the steps. "Go to college right now and leave me alone."

Aryll smirked at her brother, then picked up her box again. "You'd miss me too much."

Daruk followed suit with three boxes in his arms. "He would," he confirmed with a nod.

Aryll grinned. "I know." She followed them into the house. "I still can't believe Talon gave us this place."

"He didn't," Link said. "I bought it."

"For, like, half of what it's worth."

Link shrugged. "You were the one that didn't want him to sell in the first place."

"Yeah," she said. "But it's better to go to us. We'll take care of it."

"I'm thinking he got the better end of the deal," Revali said. "He's living his best life on a damn beach right now, and you're stuck here shoveling horse shit for the rest of your life."

"If we didn't," Aryll started, "You would have bought it and turned it into some stupid mall or something."

"Not me," Revali said. "There's nothing out here."

"Someone like you would have ruined all this."

"It's hardly ruined if it's bringing in money."

"You just can't appreciate what's here."

"You're right," Revali said with a shrug. "Not my thing."

Link returned outside, ignoring Aryll banter with their friends. He watched as Mipha fished through the car for more boxes, and smiled. His fingers traced over the ring box in his pocket, and in that moment, it felt right.

Mipha selected a box marked 'plates.' When she turned around, her gaze landed on Link down on one knee, a small black box in his hands, and she promptly dropped the box.

"Plates!" Link winced as it crashed to the ground and the plates shattered.

But Mipha didn't seem to notice, her hands covering her mouth in shock. "What are you doing?"

Link frowned. "I don't know," he said. "What does it freaking look like? Tying my damn shoe?"

Mipha's gaze narrowed with irritation. "Hey! You can't marry me with that attitude!"

"Who said I wanted to marry you?" he sneered.

"You have a damn ring!"

"Oh, that's what that is." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, for the love of -" She rushed to him as he stood and threw herself against him, kissing his lips. "Yes, you damn fool, yes!"

"Dibs on maid-of -honor!" Aryll shouted from the doorway. The others gathered anxiously behind her, and they practically fell out of the doorway to see what was going on.

"You can't even drink legally," Revali reminded her. "Oh, shit. Dibs on best man! We're going to have the craziest fucking bachelor party!"

"Oh my Goddesses," Urbosa sobbed. "It's about damn time!"

"I don't think dibs applies, here," Daruk said.

"Because obviously you're going to get it," Revali sneered.

"What do you care?"

"Because you'll plan a boring bachelor party!"

Daruk rolled his eyes. "You can do all the planning," he said. "But I am not spooning with him again."

Revali snickered. The air snapped as he flashed away from Daruk, narrowly missing his heavy handed punch. He appeared at Link's side, his arm draped around his shoulders.

"It will be legendary," he said. He caught Mipha's angry gaze and sighed. "Relax, will ya?" He turned back to Link. "I warned you not to do it."

Aryll bounded down the steps with the others following behind and peered at the ring on Mipha's finger. She smiled. "I still think it's romantic," she said. "I don't care what Revali says."

Mipha frowned. "How long have you been planning this?"

"Too long," Daruk confirmed.

"Well, you know," Link started. "I thought about it, but getting kidnapped by the Yiga kinda put a hold on my plans."

"Wow," Mipha said with a grin. "You really do move fast. We had only been dating for like, a week at that point."

"I figured I had to get in before I fucked up again."

Revali snorted. "She can still divorce your ass and take you for everything you have."

"That's not much," Link said. "She'll be sorely disappointed."

"Bull shit," Revali spat. "We all know Aryll isn't going to college on her good looks."

"So I made a few favors and slept with a few people," Link said.

"Don't tell me you blew through that money already," Daruk said.

"Of course not," Link insisted. "What are you, my financial advisor?"

"Mipha will spend it all on that wedding," Revali said.

"Will not," Mipha hissed. "Besides, my father -"

"Daddy's money," Revali said with a nod. "That's right. I forgot he's loaded."

Mipha rolled her eyes.

"You mean we can't just like, go to city hall and call it a day?" Link said with a frown.

"Hey, I put up with your shit long enough," Mipha said. "I'm wearing a white fucking dress walking down that aisle and all you bitches are gonna cry."

"Someone has high expectations," Revali said. "Who cries at weddings?"

"Me," Urbosa said with a nod. "I'm totally gonna ball." She pinched Link's cheek. "My little Link is gonna get married."

"I did not think this through," Link muttered.

"You're gonna have so much planning to do," Aryll said excitedly.

"I am?" Link groaned.

"I'll take care of it, Hunnie," Mipha said with a grin. "Just show up when you're supposed to."

"That's a relief," he muttered.

Aryll shook her head, then clapped her hands together. "Come on, people. These boxes aren't gonna move themselves, yanno."

"Definitely not if you just sit there and stare at them," Revali said.

"Look who's talking!"

Aryll and Revali continued to bicker as they removed more boxes from the car. When the car was finally empty, Link closed the trunk and twirled the keys in his fingers for a moment before shoving them in his pocket. He glanced over the car, then turned to the house. Aryll and Revali took a moment to pause on the porch once more, despite Urbosa's scolding. He picked up the remaining box and made his way into the house, home at last.


	51. Epilogue

Link stretched his arms over his head in an attempt to crack his back. When did he start to feel so damn old? A few years ago, trimming hooves was the easiest part of his day. But, then again, he didn't have to deal with a spunky little filly, either. He patted the young horse's neck and she snorted. He felt the air snap as a presence appeared, but he didn't turn to his visitor.

"Hey, D," Link said casually. He glanced at Dorian over his shoulder.

Dorian narrowed his gaze on him. "You don't get to call me that," he sneered.

Link ignored his comment. "What are you doing here?"

Dorian put his hands in his pockets. "Looking for Cottla and Koko."

"You know they're grown ass Sheikah women, right?" Link said with a grin. "And they have phones. You could have called them."

Dorian glared at him. "Are they here?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Yes. They're with Aryll."

"Uncle D!"

Dorian turned to the little boy that ran up to him. He smiled and picked up the child. "What's going on, Dude?"

"Are you here to play Sheikah?"

"I don't think so," Dorian said. He put the child back on the ground. "I gotta get going."

The boy whined. "You always say that!"

"Sorry, Rus. You know how it is."

Rusl cocked his head to the side. "Okay," he said simply before running off again.

"You don't have to check up on us, you know," Link said. He turned back over his shoulder, but Dorian had his back to him. He met Link's gaze briefly, a smile tugging at his lips, and in a snap, he disappeared.

He turned back to the horse and smiled. He pulled a carrot out of his pocket to treat the filly, then set back to work at trimming her hooves. When he finished, he gave her one last pat, then set at putting his things away. He turned to greet his sister when she appeared in the doorway.

"You'd think they were like, sixteen years old," Aryll practically whined. "Jeez, Dorian is a tight ass, sometimes."

"Are you really surprised?" Link asked.

Aryll sighed. "I guess not." She shrugged. "I suppose it's for the best. Cottla only wanted to feed Rusl sugar before everyone got here."

Link stepped around her, moving back to the horse. He scratched at her ears and cooed to her. "Dorian thinks he's a big, scary Sheikah, doesn't he? But he's not, no he's not. You're such a cute little thing, yes you are."

"You're sickening." Aryll rolled her eyes and sighed. "What happened to you, man?"

Link grinned and scratched the mare's neck. "Kids make you soft."

At that moment, Rusl came running back towards them from around the corner, this time with a stick in hand. He jumped at Link and roared as threateningly as he could.

"Shit, Ary, look at that thing!" Link picked up his son and threw him over his shoulder. "Now that's scary!"

"Down, Daddy!" Rusl giggled, waving the stick in the air as Link placed him back on his feet. "You're the scary monster!" He swung the stick at him, his brows knit together. "I'm gonna beat you."

"Not with that footwork you're not," Link said.

"He doesn't care about footwork," Aryll said.

"Hey! Impa pounded that shit into my brain. If this kid's gonna do anything right, least he can do is learn how to fight."

"Because sword fighting is such an important skill."

"You don't know!" He took the sword from his son. "Look."

Rusl laughed and ran off to collect another stick, returning and doing his best to mock his father.

"What did I say!" Mipha shouted from the house. "You're not teaching our son to fight with swords!"

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Yes, you are!"

Aryll giggled and picked up her nephew. "Come on, Mr. Hero. You need a nap before everyone gets here."

"That sounds like a good idea," Link said with a yawn.

"Wasn't talking to you," Aryll said over her shoulder as she carried the child back to the house.

Link followed behind her, only to be met by the angry glare coming from his very pregnant wife. His shoulders dropped and he offered her an apologetic smile.

Mipha sighed and shook her head. "Honestly," she said. "Can't you teach him something more useful?"

"Like how to use Hylian powers?" Aryll asked excitedly.

"I'm gonna be a Sheikah!" Rusl proclaimed.

"No!" Mipha barked. "For the love of - teach him the damn alphabet or something. That's what kids should be learning."

Link frowned. "Oh. No. That doesn't sound right."

"How the hell are you a father?" Aryll said with a grin. "Honestly, Mipha. Why did you think that was a good idea?"

Mipha sighed, defeated. "I really don't know."

Link took the child from Aryll and placed him on his shoulders. Rusl giggled and waved the stick in the air.

"I'm gonna be the hero, Daddy," he announced. "Just you wait!"

"You got it, Kid," Link said. He looked up at the child over his head and smiled. "You already are a hero."


	52. Coming Soon

He stared down at the body at his feet. He felt the panic start to rise in his chest, causing his heart to race and his stomach to twist sickeningly. He tried to speak, to yell, to cry, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. The world was silent; all he could hear was his pulse in his ears, pulsing loudly. He shook his head, stepping away from the body. He didn't need confirmation from anyone, for he knew that he had killed that man. He was bad, just like they had said. He had proved that, to them, to himself. He didn't mean to do it. He didn't even know how he did it. But now, that man was dead, and he would be next. They would hunt him. They would find him. And they would kill him.

He stumbled over his own feet in panic, falling backwards against the wall. He tore his gaze away from the body, then scrambled to his feet, hurrying out the door and into the cold, dark night. He ran as far from the house as he could, across the grass and into the nearby woods. But as soon as he stepped into the treeline, the darkness became to great, suffocating him. He could hear voices; their voices. Her voice. Voices he couldn't possibly begin to explain, or even understand, for her voice was in a different language completely.

Despite it all, her voice was soothing. He wanted to find her voice. He thought he would be safe with her. But just as every other time he found himself in the woods, he only got lost searching for her, and eventually, the darkness swallowed him completely until he heard nothing at all.


End file.
